


The Hidden Prodigy

by Applepie



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angsty situations, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, More feels than action, Second Chances, Slow Pace, Time Travel, fluffy family scenes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-11
Updated: 2017-09-03
Packaged: 2017-12-11 14:06:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 96,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/799575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Applepie/pseuds/Applepie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Somehow sent back into the past, Kakashi is given a second chance to relive his childhood. He is determined to make the most of everyday and to fix the horrors of the future, but sometimes simple determination is not enough to save everyone. Time-travel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. PART 1: 1-5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If this fic makes you go "THE FEELS!", then I have done my job :)

 

_PART ONE  
Chapter 1: Retry_

Kakashi immediately knew something was wrong when he realized he was not in his little apartment unit. The mattress he was lying on was too soft, and the air was lacking that distinctive smell of wet dog his ninken produced. There was also someone walking nearby – not someone he could recognize immediately. When Kakashi tried to discretely pull out his weapons, they were nowhere to be found.

The jounin feigned sleep, feeling footsteps echo closer and closer to the bed he was lying on. He could feel the warmth as a hand slide close to his face. When the hand touched him, Kakashi bit down. Hard.

His eyes snapped open as he leaped into a defensive form. He saw long silver hair swing back as the figure before him clutched his hand with a grimacing smile.

Kakashi froze, eyeing the man before him. And then, he looked down at himself. It was a wonder he hadn't fainted in shock yet.

"Ow! Trying to catch me off guard again, Kakashi? You bite hard for a five-year-old!"

Kakashi swayed dangerously. Yes, it was _really_ a wonder he hadn't fainted yet.

"Are you feeling okay? Did you catch a cold?" The man reached for his forehead causing the jounin – or rather the _kid_ , seeing as he was freaking five again – to flinch back at the movement. "Kakashi, what's wrong?"

Kakashi lick his dry lips, trying to grasp the situation. _What was going on?_ "I-" the boy forced out his first words, "father?"

The older man gave him a confused stare. "Yeah? Really, Kakashi, what's the matter? You seem a little out of it today."

The world tilted oddly for a second before Kakashi tried to focus once more. "I- it's- I don't feel really well," he lied.

Sakumo Hatake, Kakashi's father, studied his son intently. "Maybe you should lie down for a while. I told you you shouldn't have trained so much yesterday. You aren't even attending the academy yet."

Kakashi shook his head, clearing it from the daze he was in. "Yeah, sure." He sat down on his bed. "Do you mind?" He raised an eyebrow at the man, trying to act normal.

The man gave a gruff laugh. "Yeah, yeah, only five and already trying to get rid of me." He headed for the door. "I'll come back with some food later, alright kid? You just get more rest."

Kakashi nodded numbly settling back down on the bed. The minute his father left, he jumped straight back up again.

_What the hell was going on?_

The thought " _genjutsu_ " immediately jumped to mind, but even before his shout of " _Kai"_ , Kakashi knew that wasn't the case. His old bedroom was too perfect for this to be someone's illusion. He'd left this place when he was six, bordering seven. No one knew him well back then. Not well enough to be able to replicate his room to such perfection.

But was it real?

Turning his search internally, Kakashi could at least tell that not everything had been a complete dream. His chakra control was not yet comparable to his jounin years, but definitely better than when he'd been five. His chakra had also increased from what he dimly recalled his younger self to have had. Unless he'd been training in his sleep, everything he remembered _had_ happened. Or at least was _going_ to happen sometime in the future.

But then why was he here in the … _past_?

Kakashi hopped off his bed, grabbing his mask along the way. He padded quietly out of his room, reeling his chakra tight. If this _was real_ … he didn't want anyone realising anything different about him, should they ever decide to check. A kid suddenly increasing his chakra reserves overnight was definitely not normal.

The masked boy walked slowly, eyes observing and remembering everything around him. It'd been twenty years (give or take) since he'd step foot into this house, yet he could still vividly remember its contents. The house had been his recurring nightmare, one where he would constantly revisit night after night, because he'd done so much wrong to its late owner by turning away when he'd needed him the most. His mornings were haunted by Obito, and his nights by Sakumo, because he was a disappointing man who never realised his wrongdoings until the other party was long gone, and ' _sorry_ ' _s_ were no longer possible.

Kakashi strolled into the kitchen. His father turned, hearing his little footsteps nearing. "Didn't I tell you to go back to bed?" the man asked gently.

Sakumo Hatake's face was different from Kakashi's memory. The man he remembered had been pale, slouched, and so utterly broken by the unthinking words of the villagers. This one looks so young and resilient. His long silver hair was tied into a low ponytail. His face and built, though similar to Kakashi's, was more rigid and sturdy; more masculine. His stance was straight and confident. It was –

"Kakashi?"

The boy took tiny steps towards the other man, as if running would break the illusion of his father. Sakumo, on his part, was rooted in place, wondering on that heart-wrenching stare from his son.

"Kakashi?" the father asked again, at a loss words. His son had always seemed so independent and mature, and seeing him like this was like twisting a knife in his heart, because this was nothing like what he'd thought, and he really hadn't known his son at all, had he?

Before him, Kakashi stood staring and burning that face into his memory. He desperately tried to replace the sad image he'd been left with with this better form of Sakumo. How had he never realised how much of a difference there'd been from his father's usual face and those last few months before he took his own life? Had the change truly been that gradual, or had Kakashi been blind, too selfish to notice the suffering beside him?

Kakashi could see his own pale arms lifting up on their own accord. They wrapped around his father as his head slotted so perfectly in place in the man's chest. Instinctively, he took a deep breath.

Somehow, it was like _coming home_ , this scent of Sakumo – of his father. It'd been too long since he'd smelt it, but it was one he recognised without a second thought. It was the scent of late nights listening to tales of his father's missions, of mourning their mother together, of spying on his father's training and ultimately getting caught. It was the scent of a forgotten childhood. For years after accepting his old man's death, Kakashi had nothing left but a faint memory to remember his family with.

But now, in his arms, everything was suddenly different.

It wasn't until Kakashi felt his father patting him on the head that he realized tears had begun staining his face. But this show of emotions was too meaningful for Kakashi to hide or wipe them away. Not for today, at least.

"Father," he called, before halting. No, that word was too impersonal. When did he start calling Sakumo that? Was it when he started to earnestly train as a shinobi, thinking the world would see his maturity if he did away from any and all childish quirks? But since when did Kakashi care for other's opinions anymore; he lived his life however he pleased because conforming was something he was eventually taught as something not always for the best – especially when it mean it compromised those precious to him.

"Dad," the man-turned-boy corrected, then, "Daddy," he murmured, almost even too quiet for himself to hear, and if only just once, because he'd always regretted never calling Sakumo that as a child. It was a simple word that spoke of the deepest of familial love for his father - a love that the child Kakashi had-once-been never knew would have meant the world to Sakumo.

This time, Kakashi knew better.

How was he in the past? Kakashi couldn't care less about that question anymore. He _was_ in the past and that was all that mattered, and he would make sure _this_ lifetime's worth of memories was better than the last. With that resolution in mind, Kakashi held onto his chakra, tighter than ever, determined not to give anything away. In the physical world, his actions echo that determination as his arms wrapped stronger against his father's torso and refused to let go.

* * *

 

 

_Chapter 2: Promise_

Sakumo Hatake was not a born genius. He was a shinobi who earned his role and status through hard work and dedication. At an early age, however, he realized his son, Kakashi, _was_ in fact a certified genius. The boy could throw a kunai as well as any genin, and he had only been four at the time. Kakashi had skills beyond measurable for someone his age. For a child, his strategy astonishing, and his intelligence was extraordinary. Kakashi was, in one word, a prodigy.

Kakashi himself realized this at an early age, just as quickly as his father had. Perhaps it was then (Sakumo honestly couldn't remember), that Kakashi started to act – and Sakumo started to treat him – like an adult. It was such a smooth, subtle transition that Sakumo never realized what he was doing.

Just when did Kakashi start calling him " _father_ " instead of " _dad_ "? Just when did he think it was fine to let Kakashi go out training on his own without supervision? Just when did he start failing as a father?

He never considered himself the perfect father, don't get him wrong. It would've been so much better if his dear wife had been still around to help him with this odd, new endeavour, but her death had been an unplanned part of life. Kakashi had cried and cried as a babe, and it was only for the longest time that Sakumo had dared to hold him. His hands were dyed in red, and he was more used to taking a life than raising one. Still, for Kakashi's sake Sakumo scrambled to keep up.

And yet, he'd managed to blunder so badly without realising a thing.

If it weren't for Kakashi's sudden illness, the boy wouldn't have acted so spoilt and call to him with that unexpected cry of " _daddy"._ That childish voice of his slammed Sakumo back to earth, head first. It had been startling to hear Kakashi like that, but _it shouldn't have been because that was how children were supposed to act._ His head spun with a sudden tip of vertigo, at the realization that Kakashi was still, in fact, _five_ , no matter how mature he appeared.

What would his wife say to him if she saw him treat a five-year-old, his own son no less, like a man beyond his actual years?

And despite his failure, Kakashi never complained. If anything, the boy only played to his expectations, becoming more distant and independent each day. Sakumo had been losing his son – pushing him away! – without ever realising it. And then what, Sakumo wondered? Would he one day be abandoned by Kakashi, because how could Sakumo expect his boy to stay forever with him if he never treated him like family to begin with?

Kakashi was currently buried in his chest, arms curled around him. Sakumo's fingers tightened their hold on the back of his son's shirt.

"D-dad?" the boy questioned, sounding too surprised at his motion. Was it really so startling for him to show Kakashi love?

"I'm so sorry, son," Sakumo murmured out into his son's unruly silver hair.

His son seemed to freeze, head lifting upwards to look at him at those words. Kakashi's mouth opened, as though ready to say something – to agree, to rebut, to argue? -, but in the end he only closed it. He pressed his head into Sakumo's chest again. There was hot breathing on his shirt, as though Kakashi was mouthing muffled words he'd refused to say earlier. The action dropped a heavy stone into the pit of Sakumo's stomach.

His relationship with his son was at a level where Kakashi wouldn't dare share his personal thoughts with his father. Sakumo couldn't help but fear that Kakashi was afraid complaining wasn't becoming of the supposed adult Sakumo saw him as, and he didn't want to disappoint his father.

Kakashi didn't realised Sakumo loved him regardless. But no more. That was changing today.

Once the crying was under control, the little boy had looked at him with such determination in his eyes. "It won't happen again, I promise," Kakashi had whispered quietly to himself, a dark promise in his eyes.

Sakumo had a feeling he wasn't supposed to hear that silent vow, but he did nevertheless.

"It won't happen again?" he repeated, earning a surprised glance from his son. If Kakashi wanted his father to pamper him when he was sick, Sakumo would do so. If Kakashi wanted to call him _'daddy'_ , Sakumo more than allowed it. If Kakashi wanted to break down into tears and cling onto him until everything was better once more, Sakumo would give Kakashi all the time in the world.

Kakashi needed to know he wasn't in the wrong; it was Sakumo who had failed him by forgetting he was only a child. He wouldn't allow Kakashi to suppress his emotions and grow up an empty shinobi who knew nothing but fighting.

"Since when was crying something to be ashamed of? We may be shinobi of Konoha, but we are not tools. We have emotions and feelings. That is how we can protect and survive." He grabbed Kakashi's shoulders, forcing his son to look him in the eye. "And you, Kakashi, you are not even a shinobi yet. So don't –" he didn't even know how to explain it, "don't lose something like this. Don't lose your love, your care, your sense of expression. Don't lose it before you're even old enough to recognize just how precious it is. _Especially_ when you're entitled to it all at your age."

There was flicker of _something_ in his son's eyes. It was mirth (perhaps he'd misunderstood Kakashi's comment), then understanding – understanding so deep that Sakumo almost forgot for a second that he was just talking to his son, and not a fellow shinobi.

It broke his heart yet again to see that Kakashi, his son, his precious five-year-old, was able to comprehend something so deep.

And then at that moment, he swore an oath to himself. He _would_ become a proper father, and he _would_ treat Kakashi according to his age, whether the boy liked it or not. No matter what it took, he would make sure Kakashi was given a chance to be the child he was.

* * *

 

 

_Chapter 3: Perspective_

There was a certain amount of stoicism required as a shinobi, especially when the career was paved with war and death.

Kakashi's emotions had always been frozen, up until the day Obito died and imparted to him a lesson about learning to trust and make friends. Kakashi wasn't afraid to admit he'd cried burning tears that day, and Rin in his arms was no better. Rin's death had equally quickly brought tears to his eyes (and vomit in his throat), because she wasn't supposed to jump in front of his attack for Konoha's sake, and she hadn't needed to die with a smile on her lips like Obito had done. Minato-sensei followed suit scant years later, and Kakashi cried because the man was everything he had left in that make-shift family he'd finally been able to obtain.

Breaking down only three times in those long twenty-so years of his was something Kakashi was well aware of.

For his own father's death so many years ago, Kakashi had been too numb at the sight of blood splattered against the tatami mat, and the idea that his father took his _own_ life, that he'd felt nothing of it. By the time the numbing spell wore off, he was too angry and bitter at the man to care.

Yet on the very first day of his time-travelling adventure, Kakashi was embarrassed to admit he'd lost control of his emotions once more. Unexpectedly, it was out of _happiness_ of all things, but it made for a good change.

Perhaps the outburst was well overdue. True, Kakashi had hated his father, but over his years, Kakashi had long forgiven him for taking the easy way out. Kakashi would acceptingly take any apologies Sakumo would give in, and in return, Kakashi had his own, because he realised his unsympathetic actions had accelerated his father's depression.

He had been a child, but he was also a prodigy. He really should've known better.

But the past was the past, and Kakashi wouldn't allow his father to reach that state again. Presently, though, Kakashi noticed his father had changed. Or maybe because he was older, Kakashi was seeing him from a different perspective.

The father that had been in Kakashi's memories had been a distant man. He wouldn't have said Sakumo ignored him, but the two hardly spent much time together; either one was on a mission, or the other was out training by himself. Considering Sakumo's strength as one of Konoha's strongest, his numerous missions were nothing to be surprised about. Suffice to say, their time together was even less once Kakashi enrolled into the academy. Time that could've been spent together during Sakumo's days off were lost since Kakashi had either school or homework to attend to.

They'd grown apart so quickly, and the Kakashi of that time once even thought that perhaps his own father had hated his presence. Between the fact the man never treated him like much of a son (not that little Kakashi had realised at the time), and the fact that he accepted Kakashi's independence so early on, Kakashi had wondered if his existence in Sakumo's life was bogging down the man's full potential and the man couldn't forgive him for that. It certainly felt like it at the time. Sakumo killing himself off never helped his doubting heart.

But now, for some unanticipated reason, Sakumo decided it was due time to take a short leave from all the missions. And instead of relaxing, what better to do but spend all that time with his one and only son?

Honestly, Kakashi didn't know how he'd caused that sudden change from the original timeline. He hadn't done anything except give into that singular childish need to cling onto his father – once – and suddenly the future was ever so slightly bumped off onto a different track. The small things, it seemed, were just as capable of changing the future – which Kakashi appreciated, because as knowledgeable as he was, his body was still of a five-year-old, and there was only so much he could do without causing suspicion.

And Kakashi was happy to admit he welcomed this unexpected change. He was glad for the reassurance that his father loved him as a child, and had this change not happened, Kakashi admitted deep within his heart he would have always wondered.

Because a childhood's worth of doubt was hard to assuage without proof to point otherwise.

 

.

As for Sakumo Hatake…

Sakumo had a dilemma: he didn't know what he was supposed to do.

He'd never been a _proper_ father. Maybe a father _figure_ \- Kakashi used to loved pretending to be a strong shinobi like himself -, but not an actual father. He resolutely pulled his name off the mission roster in order to change all that. It'd been too long since father and son spent quality time together.

Yet, _what_ were they supposed to do together?

Even if his son was a prodigy, it didn't seem appropriate to go training with him every day. Even if it was good bonding, enjoyable, really, he was certain his late wife would not approve.

Just what did kids Kakashi's age do for fun, anyways?

He was determined to make things right with his son, and goddammit, he would try anything as long as Kakashi approved. Anything to make his darling Kakashi smile; because if he was being honest to himself, that horrid, heart-wrenching expression he'd seem fleetingly on his little boy's face that one morning was something he refused to let appear once more.

* * *

 

 

_Chapter 4: Habit_

After running through several bonding ideas and doubting each and every one of them, Sakumo eventually decided on heading to the field to train with Kakashi. Kakashi liked training, so that had to count for something, right? It had nothing to do with the fact that Sakumo knew that further floundering would only serve the point that he had never been a good enough father for his son. (He was already feeling depressed enough as it was.)

The famed White Fang was reassured he, at the very least, knew _one_ of his son's likes, but then that was until Kakashi's face twitched into a quick frown at his suggestion of training. It was only for a second, before the expected anticipating smile emerged, but a second was enough for Sakumo to catch it.

Sakumo hesitated.

There was a brief uncertainty that he'd never actually knew Kakashi _at all –_ maybe Kakashi didn't like training and only practiced because it was expected of a prodigy, or maybe because it was something he did for Sakumo's sake. Then, Sakumo shook the apprehension away because he'd seem the joyous face on his son before at the mention of training, and today had been the only exception.

If he only knew why, though.

"Hey, kid," Sakumo called out.

His son looked curiously over at him, face reflecting nothing of the frown he'd so quickly stowed away. Still, Sakumo was certain he hadn't been imagining things.

"Hmm?" Kakashi hmmed idly, hands lodged in his pockets.

Sakumo studied the boy. Under his intense scrutiny, Kakashi only offered a smile. And though a smile was a good thing, his was only a smile in appearance because his eyes were distant as though thinking about something else instead. "Are you sure you're fine, Kakashi?" he man asked once more, another tally to the ever growing list that begun after Kakashi's illness some days back. "Lately you've been acting a bit…" Sakumo paused, not sure of the proper term. Kakashi had been mature, but there were these moments of childishness that seemed to come from nowhere. And then there were moments when Kakashi would hide himself away all secretive and reflect about things he stayed mum about. And there were times where Kakashi looked like he himself didn't know how he was _supposed_ to act. It was disconcerting, to say the least.

"You've been a bit different than usual," Sakumo ended lamely.

Kakashi looked away, sandals scuffling on the ground. "I'm myself," he said, and that didn't answer a thing.

With a half-hidden sigh, the silver-haired man ushered his son into the small personal training field adjacent to the family Compound. Hopefully, training would do away with whatever worries that was plaguing his son.

Sakumo walked to the middle of the field, Kakashi following dutifully behind him. "It's been a while since we've sparred," the man commented, as Kakashi nodded silently while doing his stretches. Sakumo continued, "So, taijutsu match then? With weapons?"

Kakashi shrugged, slipping into his stance along with his father. Suddenly he was standing straight up again, hand scratching through his silver hair. "Aaa… bathroom break," he muttered.

Sakumo's eyebrows rose. "Already?"

With a nervous chuckle, Kakashi scampered off, waving his hand over his shoulder. The older Hatake stared after him in amusement, sitting down to wait for his son to return. "That was unexpected," he muttered. Though he wasn't sure how that played into the whole oddness that surrounded Kakashi recently.

Distances away, Kakashi slipped behind a tree. His fingers drew into a familiar cross. It took several tries since his chakra control wasn't as perfect as it's been as jounin, and as surprisingly quickly Naruto had learned it, it was still an advanced jutsu. " _Kagebushin no jutsu."_ he murmured softly, and a shadow clone poofed into existence. With a glance, it nodded to him and pulled up a _Henge_ before leaping away.

Kakashi let out a sigh.

The curse of having more chakra than a proper five-year-old was that he was always afraid he would forget to keep himself in check around those who would notice. A shadow clone split his chakra levels, and saved him constant stress – though maintaining it was a whole other issue.

Nevertheless, it wasn't as if Kakashi had order the clone to do anything strenuous. If Sakumo looked like he didn't have his guard up, his shadow clone would come back to watch them train.

Heading back towards his father, Kakashi hopped down from the tree, smile on face. "Ready," he said, sliding back into his stance, fingers curled into the seal of confrontation as he watched his father do the same.

With that, they leaped at each other.

 

.

Kakashi's legs swept across the ground around him as kunai flew from his hands. There was no way Sakumo could avoid the attack without breaking out of his forwards charge towards Kakashi – or at least that would've happened if the leg swipe had actually _reached_.

With a quick eyebrow raised at Kakashi's actions, Sakumo ducked under the flying kunai as he continued charging at his son. Kakashi instantly threw himself backwards in a flip, using his hands to propel himself onto the side of a tree.

Sakumo, however, was ready for his escape. Shuriken pounded the tree where Kakashi was – or _had_ been, a moment earlier. The boy had already pushed himself off, and disappeared into the forest behind him.

Sakumo grinned. "Come out! You can't hide from me!" he called out.

For a second, it unnerved the man that he couldn't find his son's chakra anywhere in the training grounds. The word ' _prodigy'_ jumped to mind, but before he could dwell on it, his attention was jerked away by the sudden chill from behind.

Sakumo ducked, tips of his long silver hair tugging as it caught Kakashi's flying kick. He spun quickly, grabbing the kid out of mid-air. Small feet kicked as the boy struggled in his arms. Kakashi's smile never faded, even as his father shook him.

"Give up?" the older man grinned. Instincts suddenly screamed ' _danger!'_ at him. Where could… – his hair!

Sakumo threw Kakashi aside as he turned, grasping the ends of his tied silver hair. Explosive tags were stuck to the tips, about to activate. The man swore, wondering when Kakashi had the time to attach them so quickly, before stabbing them out and throwing them away.

The moment the tags left his fingers, he could feel Kakashi's presence in front of him again. Sakumo knew his son was quick. He also knew with his own twisted position, he couldn't dodge whatever attack the boy planned on landing on him.

The man clenched his teeth, and tried to position himself to receive the least amount of damage. Little Kakashi may be, but boy could he punch. Kakashi probably had an anatomy diagram of the human body glued to his brain because he never failed to strike where it hurt most.

That's why when the blow never came, Sakumo was greatly surprised.

The Hatake turned sharply, just in time to see his son retract his arm. An arm that had been a _foot_ away from his chest. A _foot_ away!

Sakumo had to dismiss the stray thought as Kakashi charged up to him again, running on fours with the help of his hand, as though he was trying to keep himself from stumbling on his feet. The man flipped the boy just as quickly, landing a blow as he did so. Large grey-blue eyes narrowed into a somewhat childish glare.

The White Fang smirked. "Tired yet?"

His mask stretched as Kakashi grinned. "Nope."

And with moves quicker than Sakumo remembered, Kakashi rushed at him, weaving though the older man's attacks like it was ingrained into his instincts, if not moving inelegantly and just a tad awkwardly, and then thrusted an arm at him, aiming for Sakumo's chin. Had it hit, Sakumo would've been disorientated long enough for Kakashi to land another blow in. – _Had_ it hit.

Sakumo frowned at his son as it happened once more. "Okay, stop, stop," Sakumo ordered.

Kakashi skid to a halt. "What?" he grumbled.

There was no amusement in Sakumo's eyes. The man stared intently at his son before finally gesturing the boy to come over. "Alright, Kakashi," he said firmly, "What's going on?" His voice held no room for arguments or evasion of the question.

Kakashi tried nevertheless. "What 'what'?" he asked innocently.

"Why are you fighting like that?"

"Like what?" the masked boy tried again.

The response made Sakumo frown even harder. "You know exactly what I'm talking about, kid," he lectured, "Why are you fighting like you think you're taller than you really are?"

The boy paused. "Habit?"

Unamused, Sakumo glowered at his son. "Try again."

"I… had a dream," Kakashi explained slowly, seriously, as though he wasn't making this up as he went along. "I had a dream where I was taller and fighting the start of another war. And now it's become a habit."

The man rolled his eyes, but they soften as he glanced down at his son once more. He gently held up his hand to Kakashi's forehead. "Funny," he responded, "but dreams don't do that to people, no matter how intense they are." And there didn't seem to be anything wrong with Kakashi either – no cold, no fever.

Two pale hands clasped over his larger one, pulling it down from his face. Clutching them, Kakashi glanced upwards at his father, eyes gentle like he was saying it was more than enough to see Sakumo care. But Sakumo didn't just want to care; he wanted to _help_ too, dammit! Kakashi was his precious son.

"Kakashi-" the man began before stumbling to a stop, because he wasn't made for this, and he didn't know what to say. Being a supportive father was harder than being a shinobi.

Kakashi studied him. As if noting Sakumo's discomfort, he leaked a simple smile, eyes slanting into a tender expression. "Really, don't worry about it."

"But-"

Kakashi interrupted him. "It'll pass in time," he promised.

For a while the White Fang stared into his son's eyes, observing the absolute firmness they held for his statement. The man's shoulders slumped in reluctance. "I understand. That's enough training, right?" Sakumo finally said in a defeated tone. He tried to work a small, indulgent smile onto his face, but it ended up looking more like a frustrated grimace.

Kakashi opened his mouth, looking like he wanted to argue, before he thought better of it and merely gave a minute smile instead. "Yeah. Sorry," he said softly, "Maybe next time?"

The White Fang nodded, hands gesturing for the boy to go on ahead. "To home with you," he said, "I'll go collect our weapons." He cut off his son before Kakashi could argue back. "Now, now, you're only five, Kakashi, and you need rest. I can take care of this."

With almost a pout like look on his face, Kakashi nodded, turning around and hopping back to their Compound. The silver-haired father watched his son go, letting his face drop to an unguarded look of worry now that Kakashi was no longer there.

He let out a long sigh in frustration. _That went well_ , he thought sarcastically. He wanted to make Kakashi smile and have fun, but all he ended up doing was drawing up more of the boy's worries and learning he didn't truly know his son as well as he thought he did.

Sakumo frowned to himself. He still had more days off, and meanwhile, more training was out of the question, at least until Kakashi recovered from … whatever was going on. Really, what _did_ kids do for entertainment these days anyways?

He was already out of ideas.

* * *

 

 

_Chapter 5: Salvation_

"Where do you think you're going?" A suspicious father asked, watching as his kid silently slipped across the room.

The boy froze. "Out."

"Uh huh." Sakumo replied skeptically. The tone of his voice itself was expressive enough for the boy to understand Sakumo was demanding more details.

Kakashi turned sharply on his heels, facing his father. "I'm going to help give directions to little old ladies, and maybe help her carry her luggage home," Kakashi said off-handedly, after only a short pause.

"Excuse me?"

"Aaa, help little old ladies across the road?" the boy tried again, "while watching out for black cats crossing my path?"

The White Fang looked thoughtful, turning the idea in his mind, wondering if it was supposed to make more sense than it actually did. Shaking his head, Sakumo gave out a low sigh. "Never mind, just go," he shoo'ed. "Come home before lunch."

"Yes sir," Kakashi said with a mock salute. He jumped out the window ("Use the door!" Sakumo cried at his back) and hurriedly ran towards the training area without further ado.

The moment he knew he was nowhere near earshot of his father, Kakashi grinned to himself under the mask. "Well," he murmured to himself, "it seems the usual excuses make horrible pre-excuses." The boy paused. "And horrible post-excuses too," he noted, because there was never at time when anyone believed him, no matter how seriously he uttered them. What did he expect; they _were_ Obito's words after all. Obito's truths were Kakashi's lies, and no one ever knew because everyone who understood were long dead by the time Kakashi had adopted the words for himself.

By the time Kakashi made it to his destination, he had already shook himself out of his mood. His eyes held nothing but determination as the boy studied the wooden training dummy before him.

"First without the dummy," he murmured to himself. The boy got into stance. Slowly, he ran through katas. Then through the kihon-techniques, feeling strange as what should be familiar basic procedures held foreignness to him.

Kakashi had realised this throughout his training with his father. It'd been the reason why he hadn't wanted to, at first. But clearly Sakumo was trying his best to bond with Kakashi, so who was he to decline the invitation. At the very least it was someone to fight against, and gave him a better idea of his current abilities.

The problem was this: his mind knew what to do, but his body was struggling to keep up. His body was lacking the muscle and length his mind remembered, and maneuvering was like steering using the wrong controls. Kakashi had forced a smile on his face, hoping his father wouldn't realise what was going on. His stumbling could've been overlooked; he _was_ a kid, after all. But missing his target caused a greater concern than he thought it would.

He was used to being fifty-something centimeters taller than he was now. Was it his fault his body was conditioned to attack a foot further than his kid body could hit?

Anger bubbled inside of him as he (clumsily, in his opinion) practiced his kihons again and again and again and _again._ They were simple things and he'd never done so horribly on them before. Rage burned as Kakashi suddenly tried to stab at the wooden dummy.

He lurched and fell instead.

"I hate this body," he hissed out angrily. If he had aged back slowly, it would've been fine, but the change in his height had been too abrupt. It would take a while before Kakashi could fight properly again.

As his conditioned older-self stabbed another hit that his kid arms never reached, Kakashi drew his hands into a seal in a fit of annoyance. " _Henge,"_ he cried, and the smoke cleared to his old, taller, body, stood where his child-self had been. Kakashi flexed his fingers, and took a punch. Delight rushed through his body as the hit struck where he had intended.

 _This_ was what he was used to.

The man stared at his adult-sized hands, frustrated laughter cutting through the crisp morning air. This was a first for him, having no choice but to fight in a _henge_.

It was so unusual, so awkward, so infuriating, and he could do nothing about it but laugh at the absurdity of it all.

The Henged Kakashi vigorously attacked the dummy, glee building at the sound of each solid hit. It was pathetic, really, that he was so used to training and fighting, that the moment he couldn't perform it, his whole life seemed so off (or maybe it was the whole travelling to the past thing?). As the silver-haired time-traveler continued to spar with the wooden dummy, he could feel himself relaxing for the first time since he'd first realised he'd been de-aged. His body moved instinctively through the familiar movements, mind finally let free from the stress he felt.

He finally felt like himself once more.

His body moved naturally, giving his mind freedom to dwell on the immediate future.

What should he do now, re-train his habits by learning how to fight as a kid again? Reconditioning his body – his ingrained instincts – would take ages, never mind that awkward period where he couldn't fight properly as either a kid or his older _henged_ self. Just thinking about it already displeased him, because Kakashi hated feeling helpless, and he couldn't force himself through that.

He'd lived his whole life as one of the strongest warriors of Konoha. He couldn't put himself in a place where he lost everything he was known for.

But then that only left the option of _henge-ing_ into the appropriate form whenever he wanted to fight – at least until his body reached its proper height once more.

Which was reasonable enough, except what was Kakashi going to do about the Academy? Certainly he could convince his peers he couldn't fight without stumbling, but Sakumo knew him better than that. Sakumo knew how skilled Kakashi truly was, and his lack of talent would worry the man.

Clumsiness aside, Kakashi also realised he would have to watch himself throughout the entire Academy year. He knew too much for a student, and his instincts were far too honed. He'd been living in the center of an upcoming war, and he still was too twitchy, too alert, to be safe amongst delicate children. (And let it be known, Kakashi never really liked kids to begin with.)

Kakashi let out a hiss of frustration as he sent a roundhouse kick at the wooden dummy one last time, before dropping out of the _henge_ and catching his breath.

The more he thought about the academy, the less he preferred to go. Kakashi knew everything the teachers could teach him and then some. They had hardly helped his old five-year-old student self, so what more could they teach him this time around? What was the point to being hailed as a proper prodigy when it did _nothing_ but catch the eyes of others and put him in the spotlight?

Kakashi knew he was good, but he could only pretend for so long before he slipped up somewhere, and he didn't need any jealous shinobi picking up on it and perhaps using the information for their own interest.

That said, what were to merits of becoming a proper shinobi, anyways?

This was _his_ life he was reliving once more. His freedom, his _salvation_. He'd be damned if anyone tried to dictate what he could or could not do. Kakashi was determined to play by his own rules.

 


	2. 6-10

_Chapter 6: Whole_

Later that week, after extensive spying on other families and their daily routine, the White Fang approached his son.

"So, want to go to the park or something?" Sakumo asked hesitantly, not quite certain he was doing this right.

A pair of grey-blue eyes glanced up at Sakumo from under silver bangs. Kakashi had a sudden image of himself prancing around kids and flowers like, frankly, Naruto, because that really seemed like something the knucklehead would do. Kakashi held back a shudder at the thought of himself doing so as well. … on second thought, that almost sounded like fun.

"Sure," Kakashi cried cheerfully. And it really should worry Kakashi how _easy_ it was sometimes to draw up his childish spirit, but he couldn't complain how helpful it'd been for assuaging his father. Kakashi knew his personality tipped between mature and childish, depending on how focused he was on pretending to be something he was not. He also knew Sakumo was undoubtedly confused by it all.

Kakashi gave a low chuckle. He glanced up at his father, just in time to catch a flash of relief on Sakumo's face. Kakashi was glad he made the right choice by agreeing to go.

The two stepped foot outside the Compound doors. On an impulse, Kakashi took hold of Sakumo's larger hands, guiding the way. "Let's go," he said happily, a genuine smile on his face.

Sakumo smiled down at him, and the world felt warm, and whole.

 

 

The White Fang scratched his head as he looked around them, before regarding his son, trying to wordlessly relay the problem to the boy. "Are you _sure_ you know where you're going?" Sakumo asked, not for the first time.

"Of course I do," Kakashi answered idly. And then he passed by the Yamanaka Flowershop for the fourth time that day.

"Really?"

Honestly, Kakashi was having fun, but Sakumo didn't need to know that. Kakashi blinked innocently at the older man, head tilting in confusion. "Dad, I have an _excellent_ sense of direction," he replied seriously, but whether or not he used that sense of direction was another story all together.

Sakumo's head was buried in his hands, posture betraying his sense of exasperation. "You do know the park is only five minute from our house, right?"

The jounin-turned-boy shrugged. "So?"

"We've been walking for over half-an-hour now," Sakumo stated. He looked around, idly noting that they'd turned around yet again during their talk.

Kakashi's smiling face betrayed nothing, "Maa, that's only because I'm taking the shortcut there."

Sakumo rubbed his chin, studying his son intently. Had Kakashi always been like this – there was a sort of playfulness in his action that didn't seem forced. His son seemed so relaxed, and – dare he say it – adorable. Sakumo couldn't believe he would have missed out on this moment if he hadn't taken the initiative to spend time with Kakashi. "Don't you mean longcut?" he countered cheekily.

The five-year-old gave him a lazy smile. "Hmm, did you say something?" he said, hand twitching to his pockets before dropping back empty at his side. There weren't too many shinobi who dared to banter with him, fearing his reputation. But Gai had been one, and he had almost a habit of pulling out his trusty orange book amidst their conversation just to hear Gai's reaction. He hadn't expected to fall so relaxed that his mouth and hand moved in that practiced response on reflex.

Kakashi _was_ curious how Sakumo would've reacted. But then again, his father might not be too happy seeing his precious five-year-old reading porn in public. Or rather, reading porn in general, public or not. Good porn, but porn nevertheless.

The silver-haired boy deliberately strolled past the Yamanaka Flowershop for the fifth time, pretending he hadn't notice. And then he passed by their own Hatake Compound just for the heck of it.

"Kakashi…"

"I told you, we're almost there," the boy interjected casually. "Really."

An hour later, travelling by rooftops now (and how he gave his dad a heart attack when he _jumped_ ), they made it to the park. "See, I told you so," Kakashi jeered.

Sakumo gave a little sigh refusing to comment to that. He patted his boy's unruly silver hair. "I hope you grow out of this soon."

Kakashi gave a hidden grin from under the mask. Grow out of it? Nah, if his Team Seven was here, they'd tell his old man just how late he could be if he really tried.

There was a sudden sharp pang in his heart when Kakashi thought about the three (three-and-a-half, if he counted Sai) kids he'd left behind. The jounin shook his head, trying to clear his guilt. No, he would see the three of them soon. And perhaps maybe this time, Naruto and Sasuke would be able to grown up with their proper families, in a much better world. – without them having to make the choices they had in his future's past.

And everything would turn out much better than how he'd left it.

With that thought in mind, Kakashi shoved the problems to the side and cheerfully urged his dad to push him higher on the swings. As the wind rushed past his ears, Kakashi spared a glance at Sakumo, and the peaceful smile graced on his lips. Kakashi clutched the metal chains of the swing tighter, closing his eyes and feeling at ease. His chest was bubbling with a feeling he'd never realised he'd lost up until now, and he liked it.

* * *

 

_Chapter 7: Rejection_

There was no other way to say it: Kakashi loved being a kid again.

He spent days after days with his father, feeling guilt, hate, and frankly even the evils of war being lifted from his aching heart. It was therapeutical and he loved every moment of it. His future-self had never experienced this, because a shinobi's choice of therapy was releasing their emotions through missions, and down time usually involved commiserating drinks with what little friends he had left.

He'd never known a choice such as this, not until his second childhood.

If Kakashi could help it, he would never let this moment go; he would stay a kid forever with his father, pretending like the future was only a delusional nightmare, brought on by the stress of growing up. But he knew those were just unreasonable thoughts, because life constantly moved forwards with or without him.

As to prove this point, weeks after, Kakashi found himself in the living room staring at a suspiciously giddy father, when he came back from "wandering the village helping old ladies (again)". Kakashi inched forwards cautiously in slow, steady steps. "What is it?" the boy questioned, because Sakumo tended to be a lot more playful than what Kakashi remembered him to be, and he didn't really trust that look on the man.

Sakumo only smirked all the larger. "I've got a present for my darlin' sweet boy," the man sang.

Kakashi would've stuck to staring blankly at him, but then Sakumo dangled something from his hand, and Kakashi's heart jumped. His grey-blue eyes focused on the scroll, and it was hard to bury down the burning want and need at the sight of the thing. Especially since he wasn't supposed to know what it was. Also, why was Sakumo taunting him with it now?

It was hard to remember exact reasons to little events that happened over twenty-years ago, no matter how good of a memory Kakashi had. He remembered certain dates, but everything else was usually quite vague.

"Why?" Kakashi asked his father, using the time to let his mind spin and recall the reason for getting this particular scroll the first time around.

"It's a congratulatory present for starting the Academy! The new school year begins just next month," Sakumo answered for him.

Kakashi paused.

The Academy.

The last time Kakashi went over the dates, he was certain the Academy was still months and months away. For it to be already time for the Academy showed just how fast time moved with his father around.

Sakumo wasn't done yet, talking eagerly to the boy who honestly wasn't paying much attention anymore. "A five, you'll probably the youngest to attend, but you don't have to worry with your talent. The Hokage already approved your form."

Kakashi didn't know what to say. Sakumo looked so thrilled about the whole thing, and it pained Kakashi to proceed with his next words. He'd pondered the Academy problem for quite some time now, and his answer always pointed in one direction. Unfortunately, not the one Sakumo expected.

"Thank you, but I reject."

The scroll dropped out of Sakumo's hand.

"What? Why?" There was a panicked undertone to the question, and Kakashi knew it was because the idea of him rejecting starting his shinobi career was unimaginable to his father. It had been, after all, all he could ever talk about as a kid.

The boy let his eyes following the rolling scroll, rather than look his father in the eye. "I just want to spend more time with you," Kakashi answered lightly. It was a truth to cover the truth.

Sakumo was confused. "But I'm not going anywhere," he replied, almost hesitantly, as if he didn't know if that was the right thing to say. His son didn't look up.

"Hmm…"

Even Kakashi's hum of a response seemed encrypted with some kind of hidden message – an idea or memory he didn't wish to share. "Kakashi- ?" the father began.

The boy's large grey-blue eyes finally glanced upwards, finally meeting Sakumo's own. The scroll laid forgotten on the floor. Words had a hard time working its way through Sakumo's throat as the two stared at each other.

"Kakashi- ?" Sakumo tried to say again, but Kakashi had already taken the chance to turn around and leave without another word.

Confusion blanketed the older man. What was going on? And that pained glint he saw in his son's eyes the moment he'd uttered the words "but I'm not going anywhere", didn't help matters any more. Because Sakumo was certain he wouldn't, but Kakashi looked like he knew better.

* * *

 

_Chapter 8: Delusional_

"The Hokage requests your presence," was the first thing Kakashi heard as he walked out the front doors of the Hatake Compound, days later. Beside him, a shinobi with a ceramic Hawk mask practically materialized from the shadows of the wall.

Silver hair swayed back as Kakashi halted immediately, head turning sharply towards the Anbu. Kakashi tilted his head an inch to the side, studying the Anbu, letting time between them stretch into a prolonged silence. "Understood," the boy finally replied, when Hawk showed no sign of discomfort.

"I will escort you." Hawk continued monotonously.

Kakashi only shrugged. "I can find the way myself, thank you," he said politely.

"It is unwise for a young boy to walk alone."

The boy hummed to himself, before forcing his tense shoulders into another shrug. For a second it irked him how his subordinate (but Anbu Captain, current or former, was not a claim he could make anymore, was it?) was treating him like a little kid. Well, he _was_ a kid, but he _wasn't_. Never mind the fact that _had_ he been a child, Hawk suddenly appearing beside him was not the best move. Even Kakashi knew better than scaring kids that way, and it was too bad he couldn't reprimand the soldier.

Not that he couldn't make his life a little harder.

"Well, if you really want to follow along…" Kakashi said, trailing off. No one said he didn't warn him.

 

…

Kakashi opened the door to the Hokage's office with a short bow and greeting, sensing his stalker Anbu take up position beside the Hokage. In front of him stood the Konohagakura leader himself, clad in his usual formal robes. Kakashi's eyes flickered to the figure before the Hokage - his own father. Worried grey eyes betrayed the calm face Sakumo put up as soon as he saw his son.

Between the timing of the meeting, and Sakumo's concerned expression, Kakashi had an idea of the topic of the meeting. With a deep breath, Kakashi strolled inside. He headed towards his father.

Sakumo held out a hand to receive his son, where Sarutobi smiled, taking a short puff on his pipe. "I was expecting you earlier," the village leader began, "You're later than expected."

Sakumo shushed him quickly, teasingly. "Be glad he actually found his way up here," he half-whispered, but there was certainly amusement dancing in his tone. Clearly he hadn't forgotten that hour-long journey to the park. Kakashi courteously pretended not to hear him.

"Sorry I'm late. I was on my way here when I stumbled upon a cat stuck up in the tree. I couldn't just leave him there, so I went to grab a ladder. By the time I found one, I forgot which tree the cat was up in, and had to climb up each and every one in Konoha in order to find and resc-"

"He got lost," the Anbu, Hawk, cut in.

Kakashi froze. He had not been expecting to be interrupted. Not even his _genin_ dared to interrupt him. "Now now, are you going to believe me or _him_?"

"You do have to admit his story seems a lot more likely," Sakumo replied, grinning at his son. Sarutobi smiled at the two of them.

For a second, Sakumo could've sworn there was a calculative glimmer in his son's eyes before he started speaking again. "Aaa, but sometimes you can't discount the impossible," Kakashi countered.

"Do you have something in mind, Kakashi?" Sarutobi asked curiously, because he, like Sakumo, hadn't missed the glimmer either.

Kakashi hmmed thoughtlessly, fingers tapping a pattern on his thigh. "Something like… coming back from the dead, immortal beings, and, say, time-travel?" he wondered softly, trying to look as though he grabbed the suggestions out of nowhere.

"I feel like there's a story behind these points," Sarutobi said, to which Kakashi laughed humourlessly about it.

"I never thought you were one to subscribe to such fantasy?" Sakumo said, staring at his son.

"No?"

"Immortality is the idea of fools, and the dead will forever stay dead. As shinobi, we have an abundance of jutsu, but somethings can't be touched," Sakumo replied seriously to the shuttered face of Kakashi. "As for time-travel, it is only the reality of the _delusional_. We're stuck with the life we live presently, and have to realise every decision we make _now_ matters."

Kakashi's eyes flickered at his comments, but nothing Sakumo could identify. Perhaps it was disappointment at Sakumo's smooth wrap up of his silly supernatural ideas. Perhaps he'd honestly believed in either one or all of those fantasies himself.

Kakashi shook his head soundlessly, turning away. "That aside, may I ask what you wish to see me for, Hokage-sama?" the boy pushed forwards, dropping the topic without further ado.

Sarutobi took another puff of pipe, shared a look with Sakumo, before getting into business.

"Ah yes," the man replied, "I heard from you father that you're refusing your acceptance to the Academy next month?"

"Correct, Hokage-sama," the boy replied curtly.

A soft frown crossed the old man's face. "Is something the matter, Kakashi?" because this didn't sound like the boy he knew.

"I don't feel the desire to go," he simply said.

Sarutobi pulled out a stamped letter from his desk, smoothening it out in front of the silver-haired boy. "I have your form here stamped for approval. I know you spent all of last year trying to get permission to start the Academy early. You were so enthusiastic, getting everything done without your father's help. Now that it's stamped, you're refusing? What happened, Kakashi?" This was not like the boy at all.

Kakashi stared at the form, remembering the month he spent filling it out. By the age of four, Kakashi had taught himself all he could alone. In order to improve any more, he needed to get to the academy. He was three years younger than the required age limit, but he wouldn't let that get to him. Sakumo had been busy with missions, so Kakashi never bothered relying on him; without his father's help, four-year-old Kakashi found all the required forms for allowing him to study early and filled them out himself. He was determined to rise through the ranks as quickly as he could.

Of course, later on, Kakashi would've realised that joining the Academy was useless. The teachers had nothing to offer, and in less than a year, he had graduated early – the youngest shinobi ever at the age of five. And then he did useless D-ranks for a year, and was promoted to Chunin at the age of six. Still, he was forced to do more D-ranks because no one wanted to work with the little kid, genius or not, and he couldn't do solo missions. And then he got stuck on a genin team for four years before being promoted to Jounin at thirteen, and even then, people still thought he was too young for it, no matter his skill level. Why else would they order him to stay on Team Minato despite his rank as Jounin?

"Being a shinobi suddenly sounds too boring and tedious," Kakashi commented, and if they knew what he had been thinking, his words summed it up quite well.

"Boring? Being a shinobi is a responsibility, and honour for our village, and our Leader," Sakumo lectured, while the Hokage nodded approvingly to his words. "We protect our people. It is a duty, and lives are entrusted to us whenever we wear our Konoha headbands. We become the pride of Konoha. That is why we choose to become shinobi – not for fun and games. Boring and tedious has nothing to do with this honor," Sakumo concluded.

Beside him, Kakashi smiled as he listened. This was why people looked up to the White Fang so much. "I know," he said quietly, and he really did.

Sakumo looked at his son attentively. "If you know, then why don't you still want to go, Kakashi?"

"Like I said," Kakashi said casually, unflustered by his father's rebuttal, "I just want to spend more time with you."

There was a pause, and then, "I'm not going anywhere." Sakumo replied, almost desperately this time, because he remember the response Kakashi gave to his answer the other day. The boy shrugged, but he didn't abruptly leave the room like before; Sakumo took that as a good sign.

Kakashi let out a sigh. "Life has a funny habit of surprising people, and nothing is ever for certain." The words were whispered out lowly, and Sakumo swore the voice was cool enough to slip between his ribs like a metal blade.

Kakashi's philosophy was too old for his age.

Sakumo suddenly couldn't help himself as he pulled his boy into a tight hug. It was Kakashi's choice to believe and do whatever he wanted to. Sakumo promised he would be behind Kakashi with whatever choice he made. He'd never expected Kakashi, with all his skills, to refuse a chance down the shinobi path, but if that was what he wanted, Sakumo would show Kakashi he didn't mind.

… and maybe then he would stop seeing those flashes of pain and hurt in Kakashi's grey-blue eyes Kakashi tried to hide whenever he was nearby.

The Hokage looked between the two Hatakes. "I have seen you train before, Kakashi," the old man tried one last time, "You could easily become one of the greatest ninja of our time. Would you not consider using that power for Konoha? Perhaps not now, but would you consider it when you are older?"

The boy creased his eyes into a closed smile. "We'll see," he said. And that was that.

* * *

 

 

_Chapter 9: Temperament_

"Are you mad?" Kakashi asked, as soon as he found he couldn't put off the question any longer. The father-son pair were sitting in the living room of the Hatake Compound when the question came.

His father immediately knew what he was talking about. There'd only been one topic that they'd clashed opinions on recently, which could possibly make Kakashi worry. "Mad? No. Whatever gave you that idea?" Sakumo exclaimed.

Kakashi shrugged. "Because I'm not going to be a ninja?"

The older man shook his head, his low-tied long silver hair swaying behind him. "No, I'm no mad. You're free to choose whatever career you want." He looked thoughtfully at his son, "I'm just surprised, is all. Ever since I could remember, you've _always_ wanted to be a ninja."

"Hmm… I suppose," Kakashi said noncommittally.

His father grinned, ruffling his silver hair. "I just wanted to brag to Jiraiya, but that could always wait."

_Jiraiya._

Jiraiya was the sort of man who was supercilious and perverted. He was never there when people needed him most, but Naruto seemed to manage to change him into a reliable man at the end of it. Kakashi was eternally grateful to the man, because he'd used his dying breath to discover Pein's plans, and to buy time for Naruto to give Konoha a fighting chance.

He'd become a true hero in the end.

"You remember him, right?" Sakumo asked, not noticing Kakashi's grief at the thought of the Toad Sage. Kakashi's face was clear, and he was nodding at the question as soon as Sakumo looked over at him. "Oh, good. You probably don't remember, but all he ever did was brag about his genius student Minato right after he was assigned as the boy's teacher. I figured I could get back at him by bragging about _you_. Oh well. Minato's a good kid, modest, and tried to get Jiraiya to stop every time he started." He looked down at Kakashi, "You've met Minato, right?"

Kakashi started to nod before stopping midway. He frowned because that wasn't true, was it? Kakashi had always thought his first meeting with Minato was when the man had been assigned to be his Commander. But perhaps the choice of the kind-hearted Minato had not been luck of the draw, as Kakashi had always assumed. The man had been looking out for him for longer than Kakashi expected.

"No?" the older Hatake answered when Kakashi held his tongue. The man thought back. "Yeah, now that you mention it, I seem to recall that he came by a lot when you were a lot younger. The poor kid got promoted to Jounin and his workload increased like crazy after that. I don't blame him for not stopping by as much…"

The man furrowed his brow. "Speaking of stopping by, I invited Jiraiya to drop in soon."

"Why?"

The older man shrugged. "That was before I knew you'd planned on declining your Academy acceptance letter."

Kakashi smirked. "Ah, right, you were going to brag."

"Don't say it like that; that makes me sound childish."

"You're not?"

With a mock-affronted sigh, Sakumo tried to wave him off. "Yeah, yeah, make fun of your old man." His eyes grew serious a moment later. "But honestly though, if you don't plan to be a shinobi, what do you want to do when you grow up, Kakashi?"

The boy scratched his chin thoughtfully. He honestly never gave anything else much thought. What to answer? Kakashi suddenly smiled as a thought hit him. "I thought maybe I'd be … a farmer."

"I see…" Sakumo replied. But really, he didn't. "A farmer." He repeated.

"Yup."

Sakumo blinked. Nope, he still didn't see. "Why?"

"Well," Kakashi hummed, "You named me _Kakashi_ for a reason, right?" If you gave him a book (make it _Icha Icha_ ), he knew he could make a very convincing ( _giggling_ ) scarecrow. The book could captivate him for hours on end.

The older man's head shot up at that. "What? No. That's not why you're called _Kakashi!_ Your name does not dictate you future career." And that sudden image he had of his son chasing crows away didn't help.

"Oh?"

"What are you suggesting about the parents who name their kids Yuki, or Aki, or, or…" He couldn't even think of proper examples.

Kakashi smiled. "Sakura?" he supplied helpfully when his father ran out of names.

"Precisely; do you expect a child named Sakura to suddenly find a job as a Cherry Blossom tree in the future?"

"But she's pink enough," the boy said sweetly.

"Pardon?"

Kakashi distracted him with another name. "Or Naruto," he suggested.

Sakumo nodded at his son. "Naruto as well. Do you expect a child to find a career in lying on top of noodles as a decorative topping?"

"But he seems to like swimming in ramen, though."

"What?"

"Oh nothing, just wondering what kind of parent would name their kid after food," Kakashi said amusedly, eyes sparkling in too much mirth.

Sakumo stared tentatively at the boy. There was some sort of inside joke there, Sakumo was certain, but Kakashi was in no hurry to explain. "Uh, yeah, silly," Sakumo replied, for lack of a better response. Thankfully, the impatient banging of their front door saved the man from fumbling his way through the conversation. He let his attention snap to the door, silver-hair swinging behind his back at his jolting action. "Well then, that must be Jiraiya," he said, quickly heading for the door.

Behind his back, where he never saw, Kakashi froze in place, all humour forgotten.

 _Jiraiya,_ Kakashi repeated to himself _._ It had been _years_ since Sakumo died, and Kakashi had plenty of time to get over his death. But even then he couldn't help crying when he saw the man in the flesh. What would his response to Jiraiya be, then?

There was a loud greeting by the front door. Good-natured chuckling grew louder as footsteps close in to the room Kakashi was in. Kakashi closed his eyes and took a deep breath to steady his heart. With a quick reminder to himself to keep his chakra in check, the masked boy's eyes snapped open just as the two elder men walked into the room.

"Well, if it isn't Kakashi!" Jiraiya boomed happily.

Kakashi dropped his gaze. "Jiraiya-sama," he greeted. His throat clenched.

"Haha, what a respectful kid, Sakumo," The white-haired sennin laughed, clapping his friend on the back. "Recognised me, huh, didn't you! Of course you did; who wouldn't?"

Sakumo snorted. "Really? It's been ages since you've last dropped by. Kakashi only remembered because I mentioned it to him a second ago."

"I'm the Great Jiraiya! The Super-"

"Yeah, yeah," Sakumo cut him off. He turned to his oddly silent son. "Don't listen to him, Kakashi. Those speeches can turn you into an idiot."

Kakashi cracked a small smile that wavered slightly under the two adult's stares.

"Hey, hey," the Toad Sage countered, "That's not true."

Hearing them bicker like it would last forever was … agonizing. To think these men were so close, and then hardly a year later, they would be torn apart without warning.

…but then again, wasn't that what a shinobi's life was all about?

With a soft mutter to be excused, Kakashi left the two.

Kakashi swept a spot on the floor clear when he entered his own room. Settling down on the floor, the boy let his chakra wrap around him as he squeezed his eyes shut. Not a second later, Kakashi's breathing softened as he slipped into meditation. He was determined to calm himself down, repeatedly reciting the fact he _wasn't_ _five_ , _so stop acting like one already!_

He needed to get himself back under control.

He had once been an ANBU captain, the best of the best; he had no excuse to be acting this badly because of a couple sad reminders. He had been trained better than this. Kakashi had realised earlier on that his ease in pulling up a childish personality was because, adult memories or not, a part of his body and mind still recognised he was actually five. There was an internal clash in his soul as his two selves butted head.

But that was still no excuse. Influenced by his kid temperament or not, surely it was mind over matter.

… wasn't it?

Behind Kakashi's closed door, down the hallway and in the living room, Sakumo and Jiraiya stared mutely at each other. Confusion etched on their faces as they watched Kakashi's retreat to his own room.

_Why was he acting so … ?_

* * *

 

 

_Chapter 10: Gone_

Lunch the next afternoon found Sakumo and Jiraiya sitting in the living-room discussing the enigma, Kakashi.

"I don't know what happened," the Hatake said, hand rubbing across his weary face. "I _swear_ Kakashi wasn't like that before." The man gave a deep sigh. "I mean, I _know_ I never used to spend much time with him, but I'm certain something's wrong."

"He hasn't said anything about it?" the white-haired Sennin asked.

Sakumo shook his head in distress. Last night, Kakashi had been acting too… mournful? The way he looked at Jiraiya was like he never expected the man to appear before him, and there was a mouthful of words he wouldn't allow himself to speak forth. Honestly, it was like Kakashi couldn't believe the whole Konoha village was booming around him sometime, from way he looked at things. _Kids_ didn't behave that way, prodigy or not.

Jiraiya glanced over at the father, eyes thoughtful at the situation. "Well, it's probably nothing," he said slowly, "The kid's just growing up. You know, puberty and all that."

"Kakashi's _five._ " the silver-haired man deadpanned.

Jiraiya shrugged. "Early puberty, then," he corrected without missing a beat. "Your kid's a genius, and so are his cells."

Sakumo groaned into his hands. "Why am I even asking you for help in the first place?"

"How should I know?"

As the White Fang tried to suppress another groan, Kakashi strolled into the room, looking like nothing was wrong with the world. "I'm going out," the boy said, a nonchalant glower in his eyes. "Training," he added, as though that word would certainly grant him permission.

Which it would, Sakumo would admit. After that unusual father-son training that occurred what seemed like _ages_ ago, Sakumo had come to the conclusion that when Kakashi was able to train again, it meant that whatever slump had befallen him was finally over. So seeing Kakashi head out to train was encouraging for him. And above everything it also meant that, despite the oddness he saw in his boy every now and then, there was a normal habit that would never change.

Sakumo nodded. "Sure. Be home by dinner," he said.

Jiriaya frowned, cutting in suddenly. "Wait… I thought you didn't want to be a ninja?" he shot out, confusion clinging on his voice.

"Hmm," was the noncommittal answer.

"So what're you training for?" the sennin asked, suspicious.

The White Fang froze at that question. That was a _good_ question, dammit. He was so used to Kakashi going out to train that he didn't even think about it. From the corner of his eyes, he observed his son. The kid merely stood there, slouching and staring them like it was the stupidest question ever. "What do you think?"

"That's why I'm asking you, kid."

The boy grinned cheekily. "Some ninja _you_ are. Aren't you supposed to know everything without being told?"

"Oho, you've mistaken 'Ninja' for 'God'. Common mistake, I've been told. Especially around me." Jiraiya smirked as Kakashi rolled his eyes at his antics. "Let's see now; my personal opinion is that you need the exercise," he answered with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"Ahh, fat jokes," Kakashi commented drily. "Dad, he's teaching me bad manners." And then, after a low chuckle, "Make him stop!"

Jiraiya held up his hands in defeat as Sakumo turned his grey glaring eyes at his friend. "What? It's not like he hasn't heard it before!" he defended himself. The sennin turned to pin Kakashi a glare of his own, only to watch as the young boy leave, laughing the whole while. He turned back to Sakumo the moment Kakashi was out of earshot. "That was weird," he declared. "I swear, the last time I visited, he was all like 'if you're not going to say anything productive, go away', and he wouldn't even respond to my jokes. What happened?"

Sakumo shook his head, eyes looking worriedly back at him. "That's what _I_ want to know. And some help _you_ were for that," he snapped, scowl on his face.

"Hey, he's your kid, not mine," the older man protested.

The two long-time friends lapsed into silence for a long time before: "He never answered my question, did he?" Jiraiya realised. Kakashi had pulled him into his teasing, and the attitude had been so foreign on the boy that Jiraiya focused on that instead of the original problem.

Sakumo let out a large sigh before shaking his head. "Forget it. Let's go out; you wanted to visit that new _dango_ place, right?"

Jiraiya pursed his lip before echoing his friend with a sigh. He shook the problem away, shelving it for later analysis. "I don't know," he answered, pulling a grin on his face, "… do I have to pay?"

"Jiraiya," Sakumo grumbled, and the other man only grinned harder. "Oh alright, fine. Let me grab my wallet."

Sakumo slipped out of the room, shaking his head at Jiraiya's antics. But then again, that was so like his friend. The father crossed into his room, prepared to rummage through his belongings to find his hidden wallet. He froze the moment he entered it.

Grey eyes flickered across the room, trying to pinpoint their source of distress. But nothing seemed out of place?

Messy bed, clothes on floor, traps not tripped, weapons in place; nothing was wrong. But something about the _air_ seemed different, and was screaming at his instincts. Everything was in its proper place, except- _except_ … !

Sakumo's grey eyes fluttered wide open. _No, it couldn't be!_ He rushed across the room, dropping carefully placed traps, and threw open a hidden vault hidden behind the wall. His gloved hands rummaged through its contents, stopping when he noted he was short one.

With speed only a jounin could compete with, he rushed out of his room, skidding to a stop before his long-time friend. His eyes were wide and frantic.

"It's gone!" he cried before rushing back to his room again for a second search.

He could hear Jiraiya scrambling after him, but he paid the man no heed.

_It was GONE!_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, now let me rant about chapter 599:
> 
> So, according to that chapter, Kakashi, Rin, Obito and the rest of them all started the academy at the same time. Which, if we are going by Kakashi graduation date, that would mean 5 years or younger. Assuming that Kakashi graduated in one year, that would mean that the academy took around 4 years to finish considering Rin and Obito graduated at age 9. But then, if we looked at Naruto's academy years, the academy has to be less than 4 years considering Naruto managed to pass at age 12 even after failing the exam three times. Which meant Rin and Obito (and the rest of them) had to have started the Academy AFTER Kakashi! Which had to mean that either everyone his age was starting late, or Kakashi started early.
> 
> And then, ch599 also says that they all took the chunin exams together. But HOW if Kakashi was already a chunin (age 6) BEFORE Rin and Obito even graduated the academy?
> 
> In other words, why was all the information from chapter 599 completely wrong? :'(


	3. 11-15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loads of thanks to fermontie for checking over my chapters for me :)

_Chapter 11: Search_

Eyes wild and flickering in distraught, Sakumo rustled through his belongings. He tried to delude himself that he'd only misplaced it, but he was never careless, and especially not so for something so important. "It's gone," Sakumo breathed, voice falling out from the depths of his stomach.

Jiraiya was thoroughly confused. "What is?"

The Hatake waved his hand dismissively, as if he never heard him in the first place. "It was here, I swear!"

"What was?" Jiraiya demanded hotly.

With a snap, the White Fang turned around, staring burningly at his friend. "My scroll," he hissed out, "My summoning scroll!"

For a second, the Toad Sage could do nothing but stare unbelievingly, before: "You _lost_ your summoning scroll?" he repeated, disappointment stretching generously over every word.

Sakumo cringed at his tone. "I know, I know," he murmured.

"No you don't!" Jiraiya rebutted, just as quick, "A summoning scroll is a sacred thing. It's a sign of trust between us and our contracted, and you didn't even bother to make sure it was safe."

Most contracted ninjas didn't need to use a scroll in order to call out their summons. The contract itself was merely a written pact between the ninja and the summon; not the tool. Instead, only blood was needed, while the scroll itself was kept somewhere safe. For Jiraiya, that was on his person. For Sakumo, that was a heavily trapped vault inside his home.

"Didn't bother?" Sakumo repeated, suddenly enraged. "Do you know how secure I keep it? True, I don't keep the scroll on my body all the time like you do, but I keep it sealed so securely it would be impossible to obtain without raising an alarm," the father fumed out. Friend or not, it angered Sakumo Jiraiya could even suggest he cared so little about his allied summons. His dog summons were as much family as Kakashi was. There was even an intricate blood seal on the vault that had taken Sakumo _years_ to weave in, responding to only those with the Hatake blood.

Jiraiya held his hands up. "Okay, okay," he placated, "I misspoke. Let's think logically about this, then," he said, face serious, "Why would someone break into your house to steal your summoning scroll?"

"Who wouldn't want to command a summon?" Sakumo asked dryly.

" _If_ they manage to form a contract and get them to listen," Jiraiya corrected.

"True."

Jiraiya rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He knew Sakumo never required the use of the scroll anymore, but: "Did you, perhaps, take it out recently?" he mused.

There was a hesitant pause. "Well," Sakumo began, "… once," he confirmed softly.

"To whom?"

"Ah, well, I showed it to Kakashi," Sakumo replied, in an almost sheepish tone.

"Kakashi?"

The White Fang ran his hand through his long silver hair, letting out a soft sigh. "That was before I found out that he didn't want to become a shinobi anymore. I was going to let him sign it as a congratulatory gift for being accepted into the academy."

"Kakashi's _five,"_ Jiraiya stressed. Sakumo had a flashback of himself saying the same line to Jiraiya not too long ago. "Surely you think that's still too young for a kid begin summoning?" The white-haired man continued.

"I wasn't going to let him start summoning right away!" Sakumo denied frantically, eyes wide in horror at the thought of it. "Certified prodigy or not, Kakashi's still on basic chakra manipulation training. If he tries summoning anything, he might exhaust his chakra reserves in the process. And as mature as he may seem at times, Kakashi's still a kid, and I shudder to think what would happen if the dogs didn't accept him." Like to most summons, first appearances meant a lot. It was practically there and then the summon decided whether they wanted to be contracted to such a ninja or not. Honestly, not a lot of summons were willing to listen to kids not even a quarter of their age.

"I wasn't going to let him summon anything," Sakumo continued, "I just wanted him to have his name on the scroll so he would have it in case anything happened. I wasn't planning to teach him how to summon the dogs until he was much older."

"Or never now," Jiraiya muttered to himself. No ninja summon would want a _civilian_ as their contractor.

"Well you never know; Kakashi _is_ only five," Sakumo said lightly, a hopeful spark in his eyes. "He could always change his mind."

The Toad Sage shrugged. "Maybe," he replied, before seriousness drew back into his eyes. "Are you sure you put the scroll away afterwards?" he asked, because no matter what Kakashi chose in the end, it wouldn't matter if the scroll was never found.

"Of course," Sakumo exclaimed. "Kakashi may have shocked me with his decision, but I wouldn't let down my dogs' trust just because of that." Grey eyes closed, trying to recall that previous week. "Let's see…"

The man recalled how the little boy had left the room signalling the end of their conversation, without really explaining anything more to his _'I reject'_. For hours after, Sakumo couldn't help but just sit there in their living room staring blankly after him, thinking useless thoughts, helpless against whatever was affecting his son.

He'd shook himself out of his stupor a little later, mindlessly crossing the room to pick up his forgotten scroll – Kakashi's acceptance present. It was only then that he had realised Kakashi was back in the room with him.

Sakumo remembered looking over at his son. "Problem?" he'd asked lightly, gut telling him not to bring up their previous conversation if he didn't want Kakashi walking out on him again.

Small, pale hands had gestured towards the scroll in his hands. "May I see?" Kakashi had asked curiously.

Sakumo had frozen on spot, brain frantically trying to come up with a way to withdraw his present without seeming like he was. It was just too dangerous for someone who was not planning to undergo ninja training. "Next time?" Sakumo remembered asking hopefully.

And then, Sakumo recalled, Kakashi started to play dirty by pouting. His large grey-blue eyes widened into what could only be called puppy-dog eyes. "Please?"

Sakumo almost gave in to him there. He was just too cute! But no, it wasn't safe, and no matter how cute, or disappointed Kakashi looked, Sakumo's protectiveness was stronger. "No," he'd said firmly.

But he'd allowed Kakashi to follow him to the room he usually kept the scroll in, stopping the boy at the door. And then, he'd locked the scroll away letting Kakashi see just how many traps he placed over it, just to make sure Kakahi knew not to be stupid enough to try and break it out without Sakumo's permission.

Back in the present world, Jiraiya frown, listening as his friend slowly recalled the past events. "And then?" he prompted.

Sakumo shook his head. "That's all. I mean, sure I let Kakashi watch, but it's not like he could keep up with all the hand seals and know all the counters."

And yet the scroll was missing, was left unsaid.

"Do you really think Kakashi has it?" Sakumo suddenly asked, dreading the answer.

"Hey, I never said that." The Sage paused, "But it seems most likely." Jiraiya could see the frantic panic in his friend's grey eyes. He ran a hand through his own hair in frustration. "Okay, why don't you summon Kane? She could probably track him down."

"No!" Sakumo cried. He thought of his large wolf-like dog summon, Kane. Sure she could probably do it, but… "As last resort," the White Fang promised. "But I can't tell her that I _lost_ the scroll!" Or even the fact that Kakashi might have stolen it. Dog or not, the protective wrath of a female for her pups was something to fear.

"It's okay," Sakumo said, taking in a deep breath, trying to push his panic aside. "I can find him," he assured himself, as calmly as he could. "Kakashi's just a kid."

"Who _apparently_ broke into the most securely trapped vault in your house," Jiraiya reminded him.

"Shut it."

"Seriously, my friend, if he really did take it, I can safely say Kakashi's _more_ than just another genius."

"You're not helping," Sakumo snapped. He took another deep breath. "Okay, he told us he was going to train in the forest right?"

"He could've been lying."

"Or maybe he wasn't. It's a start, right?"

The two ninjas raced out of the house, rushing towards the little forest behind the Hatake Compound. Sakumo slowly walked around it, trying not to miss a thing. His grey eyes sparked. "He's been here," the man said, in relief, eyes tracking the muddy ground. He raised his head and sniffed the air cautiously, before turning to the sennin beside him, eyes slanted into a worried gaze.

"Don't worry, I'm sure Kakashi's fine," Jiraiya consoled.

"And if he's not?" Sakumo all but whispered in a horrified tone. There were so many things that could go wrong, and with Sakumo's luck, he could lose his son altogher.

Onyx eyes soften as the man tried to comfort his friend. "This is Kakashi we're talking about, Sakumo." He tugged at the father's arm, ushering the man forwards. "Come on, I'm sure we're getting close. Can follow his scent?"

The two shinobi leaped forward, rushing onwards determinately. Sakumo lifted his head and sniffed again. Grey eyes narrowed, as they scanned the area. His son's scent was stronger now, and -

_"-AAaaaiiii!"_

Sakumo froze eyes wide and turning towards Jiraiya. "Please tell me that was my imagination," he begged.

"That sounded like a kid shrieking to me," the older man said lowly, eyes already trying to pinpoint the echoing cry.

Horrifying thoughts were already rebounding through Sakumo's mind.

_What if Kakashi tried to use the scroll, and used up all his chakra? What if Kakashi didn't sign the scroll before attempting to use it? What if that was a summon attacking Kakashi because they thought he stole it? What if they didn't think Kakashi was worthy to be the master of whoever he summoned and they killed him for that? What if the summon scared Kakashi and they started fighting? What if Kakashi was on the ground right now writhing in pain from fatal dog bites and scratches, all just because he, Sakumo, couldn't keep the damn scroll secure?_

The musty smell of fur washed over Sakumo, as the man tried not to panic, hand shaking in fear. He shot off, with Jiraiya crying his name after him, but he couldn't hear a thing.

 _Kakashi, Kakashi, Kakashi, Kakashi…_ His son's name repeated over and over in his mind. Beside him, he vaguely realized Jiraiya following.

 _Kakashi, Kakashi, Kakashi, Kakashi, Kaka-_ He bursted out into a clearing of the forest, and then Sakumo froze, skidding along the branch of the tree. His legs felt suddenly weak. "Jiraiya…" the White Fang murmured unconsciously, eyes wide. Sakumo knew that if the Sennin were to tell him the scene in front of him was nothing more than a dream, he would readily accept the idea in an instant.

But the other man only slowly shook his head, eyes fixed on the sight in front of them, "Damn…"

* * *

_Chapter 12: Caught_

**A little Earlier**

Kakashi was a very happy boy (or man, if you will), because currently in his possession was the most important scroll he had ever signed (even more important than all those papers Shizune made him scrawl on when he was temporary Hokage, and that was saying a lot. Or not).

The silver-haired time-traveller nonchalantly strode up to his father, scroll hidden safely by the window of his room where he could grab it before running outside. "I'm going out; training," he announced. It was hard to push down the absolute giddiness he felt at that moment, and he ended up giving them nothing but a bored, blank stare.

His father didn't seem bothered by it. "Sure," the man said. "Be home by dinner." In fact, he almost looked glad Kakashi was training. That was all fine by Kakashi; the quicker he could go without questions, the sooner he could get his pack back. He really missed his cute little dogs.

Kakashi was on his way out when Jiraiya's question ruined his great escape. "Wait… I thought you didn't want to be a ninja?" he man asked.

Kakashi just hummed in response, hoping the man would just get to the point so he could leave already.

"So what're you training for?"

The problem, Kakashi mused, was that he _was_ a ninja – he'd already lived twenty-odd years as one -, and training was already second nature to him _._ That being said, he had no reason for going out training other than the fact he was going training.

Kakashi was about to open his mouth to give a random excuse when he realised that after all his years of honing his skills for giving ridicules lies, he couldn't think of anything plausible on the spot. And that look his father was giving made him think better than to spout something stupid. So, instead, the boy settled with a slouch and a, "What do you think?" accompanied by an exasperated eye roll.

"That's why I'm asking you, kid." Jiraiya retorted back, unamused.

The masked boy sighed internally. It looked like it was time to distract the sennin. Maybe a something to inflate the Sage's ego; something to make the man stop interrogating him so seriously. "Some ninja _you_ are. Aren't you supposed to know _everything_ without being told?"

As expected, the Toad Sage countered with a, "Oho, you've mistaken 'Ninja' for 'God'. Common mistake, I've been told. Especially around me." Kakashi had to stop himself from smiling at that oh-so-familiar conceited tone. Some things never changed. Jiraiya continued, "Let's see now; my personal opinion is that you need the exercise."

Oh, fine, make fun of the five-year-old _,_ Kakashi thought to himself. Out loud, he said in a decidedly aggravated wail, worthy of his age. "Ahh, fat jokes. Dad, he's teaching me bad manners." And purely for his own amusement, he whined out a, "Make him stop!"

The jounin-turned-boy laughed as he watched his protective father fix a glare at the sennin, and he took Jiraiya's distraction as a time to leave. He heard the old man defending himself to Sakumo, but Kakashi didn't stick around to listen. He had places to be and things to do.

He slipped off to his room quickly, snagging the scroll from his desk and hopped out the window into the little forest behind the Hatake Compound. He had a lot to do before dinner.

Making sure he was far enough inside the forest so that no one would be able to accidentally interrupt him, Kakashi untied the scroll from his waist, smoothening it out on the ground before him. He read down the names of the contracted ninjas, a short pout on his lips when the place where his name should've been sat blank.

Oh well, he knew it was like that. That's what he was here to do, right?

Pulling his mask below his lips, he bit into his thumb, drawing blood. Kakashi hastily swiped his name on the scroll before it dried, and stood back to look at his handy-work. Not bad.

Excitement and anticipation bubbled inside of Kakashi. He could finally get his ninken back. His pack had been his only family after his father's death. They'd practically raised each other.

Cutting his hand once more Kakashi fingers fell into familiar seals; Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram. He slammed his hand to the ground. " _Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"_ he cried out.

Seals formed across the ground as smoke puffed in the air signalling his summons' arrival. Well, one, at least.

"Pa … kkun?" Kakashi asked hesitantly as the sole pup, younger than ever, sat on the ground, ears flapping up and down as his head whipped back in forth in utter confusion.

The miniature pug's dark lazy eyes were sharp and narrow for once as he focused intently at the silver-haired boy calling his name. He studied the boy carefully, even walking around him sniffing. Finally the dog settled down, sitting in a familiar lazy posture. "Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one who shrunk, Boss," he said, voice not as deep and gruff as it had been the last time he was summoned.

A thrilled grin split Kakashi's face. "Pakkun," he greeted once more, voice giving away his absolute relief. The only theory Kakashi had was that their pact with each other was through Kakashi's blood, and perhaps that was why his precious ninken still remembered him even though they were in the past.

The dog scratched his ear with a shrug. "Those must have been some miracle kibbles I ate. I look like a young pup again. I told you not to eat my food again, Boss."

"Aaa, you're young but wrinkly already," Kakashi commented playfully, tugging at the pug dog's face. He expertly ignored Pakkun's last comment.

"But I'm still cute," the dog growled out.

The time-traveller laughed, voice light and happy like the kid he was. "Yes you are, Pakkun," he said lovingly. Kakashi's eyes grew serious a moment later. "How is the rest of the pack?"

"Other than waking up and suddenly realising that we've all shrunk, and the fact that no one realises what's going on except for the eight of us? Fine," Pakkun drawled. He looked up at his Boss, "We were worried you wouldn't remember us either. I think you should summon them."

"Right," the boy agreed, though he'd already planned on doing that since the beginning, without prompt. He drew another slither of blood from the cut on his hand, running through hand seals once more. He pushed in more chakra as he pressed his hand down on the ground. " _Kuchiyose no Jutsu."_ he cried firmly with determination.

Smoke filled the clearing in the woods. Kakashi stood still, his silver-hair waving gently in the wind as he waited for the smoke to disperse.

Coughing sounded from the ground. "I think I breathed in smoke by mistake," a whine sounded, voice suspiciously like Shiba.

"Woah, we got summoned. Please tell me it's the Boss. I don't think anyone else would give me a vest to wear. It's cold without it," Guruko yipped.

"Boss," Akino greeted. His serious expression looked off on his younger, tawny furred face. His trademark sunglasses looked larger than ever on him.

Kakashi smiled, warmth spreading inside of him, seeing his pack sitting all around. "Shiba, Bisuke, Akino, Uhei, Guruko, Urushi, Bull," he welcomed.

"You look young, Boss," one of them said.

"You too," Kakashi replied with a playful roll of his eyes. A heavy bump knocked his hand with a soft growl. Kakashi looked down smiling. "Hey, Bull," he said, scratching the black bulldog's ear.

As if following Bull's lead the pack suddenly leaped at him, nudging his skin with their cold wet noses, limbs pressing on his ticklish sides, their wagging tails tickling his nose with vigour. _"_ Hey, hey, I'm ticklish at this age!" Kakashi tried to push the dogs off to no avail. "Hey! Haha ha ha, h- _AAaaaiiii!"_ he screamed. He clasped a hand quickly over his mouth at the involuntary outburst, glaring at his dogs. They eight of them grinned back innocently at him. "See if I ever buy you guys steak again," the boy muttered moodily under his breath.

"You never bought us any in the first place," Pakkun told him.

"It's the thought that counts," Kakashi half-heartedly defended as Pakkun ignored his words of protest. The other dogs bounced happily, having fun. The silver-haired boy smiled blissfully, watching his ninken frolic around him. He had his whole family together now. Nothing was going to ruin this day and the days to come.

That was when Kakashi heard the whisper of " _Damnn…"_ echo from the trees behind him, sounding suspiciously like Jiraiya. There was bewildered astonishment in Jiraiya's voice, completely coating that single word.

Kakashi sighed, patting the ground to get his dogs to sit. Looked like he got caught. With a deep breath to calm his nerves, Kakashi turned his gaze towards the trees where his father and Jiraiya were standing, and tried not to fear for the worst.

* * *

 

 

_Chapter 13: Prodigy_

Amazement barely described what Sakumo was feeling. If anything, Sakumo felt like he fell into the twilight zone, because this should _not_ have been happening. "Am I dreaming?" the father whispered over to Jiraiya as he watched his son pat the ground, and immediately the _eight_ rowdy dogs around him settled down obediently.

"If you are, then I think I'm in the same dream," the white-haired Sennin replied just as quietly, like he was afraid of disturbing the incredulous scene before them. He suddenly grimaced, "And I don't think I like what it's implying when my dreams have only _guys_ in it. Where are all the hot girls?"

Sakumo ignored his friend as the smallest pup in the group of dogs, a miniature pug, turned away from their bickering and towards his son. "I'm going to faint now, Boss," the dog said calmly.

His prodigal son nodded. "I don't blame you, Pakkun," he replied evenly. The other dogs seemed to agree with whatever they were talking about.

"Boss? They're calling him 'Boss'. Do you know how long it was before I could make Kane stop calling me 'brat'?" the man muttered bewilderingly at Jiraiya once more. "And I was even older than Kakashi is now." Sakumo's head hurt from the disconcerting situation, and he wanted – no, he _needed_ – answers. The Hatake leaped from his branch, landing in front of the huge pack of dogs surrounding his son.

Instinctively, the pack stood up as one, arranging themselves into an almost protective circle around Kakashi.

"Hey, hey, I don't mean any harm to Kakashi," Sakumo calmed gently, hands held up defensively. "Can't a man go up to his son without being suspected of anything?"

The dogs gave him glances ranging from confusion, disbelief, hope, and worry. It was quite the experience to have it all shot at him at once.

Kakashi seemed to understand what was going on as he gave a small childish laugh, hand stroking the fur of his ninken in a calming motion. "I think that would depend on what that said man wanted," the boy teased.

Sakumo's heart fluttered as he looked into the twinkling grey-blue eyes in front of him. Kakashi looked so tranquil, so relaxed. When was the last time he saw his son without the faked mask of calmness slid over his tormented eyes? Kakashi was an excellent shinobi, Sakumo would give him that, but there was no way Sakumo would miss that wretched façade his _own_ son put on.

And now, here he was, eyes still far too old for his age, but that mask of his completely dissolved. It was enough for the father to forgive Kakashi for stealing his summoning scroll. Sure, the boy would still get an earful about the risks and dangers he put himself through by signing and summoning without permission or supervision, but that could wait. Right now, Sakumo just didn't want to lose the blissful moment Kakashi was in; he wanted to be part of it.

So, with an exasperate smile, Sakumo gave a low chuckle and gently rubbed the small ears of the dog with a tattoo sitting in front of him. He watched as the young pup gave a satisfied sigh, rubbing his tawny face into his gloved hands. "Introduce me to your dogs," the man said, eyes flicking up to catch a glimpse of his son's reaction; he knew the boy was expecting to be yelled at.

The boy didn't fail to amuse him with the twitch of surprise that disappeared just as sudden when the boy pushed past it. In its place was a genuine loving expression that Sakumo hoped was for him just as much as it was for the eight dogs surrounding them.

Kakashi nodded at the pup Sakumo was petting, gesturing towards him. "That's Bisuke," the boy said as Sakumo studied the dog with his dark ringed eyes and tattooed forehead. "The one with the sunglasses is Akino. Guruko has the whisker marks. The bandaged greyhound is Uhei. The one with the mohawk is Shiba. The large, dark bull dog is Bull. Urushi is the one with the spiky hair and sharp teeth. And here, this is Pakkun," the boy finished, patting the miniature pug on the head.

"I'm the cute one," the pug added in a definite grumble.

"Ahh, of course," Sakumo agreed, a small grin growing on his face.

That comment immediately earned the miniature pug's acceptance. "I like you already," the dog barked, padding his way over to the older Hatake. "You could learn a thing or two from him," Pakkun directed at Kakashi. The boy playfully scrunched up his nose in mock disgust at the thought.

"Hey!" Sakumo protested.

Like the legendary sannin he was, Jiraiya had jumped down to join the party without any of them noticing. At least not until he spoke up. "I know," he began, "you're Sakumo's son and all, and if he doesn't mind you summoning these guys, then that's he's decision." There was a pause, "But what I want to know is _how_ you summoned _eight_ ninja dogs on your first try, and _without_ any guidance. Not to mention the fact you're not even winded yet." His dark eyes narrowed intensely as he observed the boy for any form of reaction. A calculated glimmer seemed to pass over Kakashi's eyes, prodding a "and don't you start acting tired _now_ to evade my questions" from the white-haired man.

What could possibly pass as a pout appeared on the boy's face at the Toad Sage's last statement before he spoke. "Well, it's not like summonings are a forbidden secret. I can easily look it up in the library. Besides," The young boy gave the Sage a haughty look, "you forget; I'm a certified prodigy." The look Kakashi gave Jiraiya made Sakumo snort in laughter before he could hold it in.

The older, white-haired man glared at both him and the son. "That's –"

"Anyways," Kakashi interrupted, cheerfully, "I didn't summon all eight at the same time. I summoned one," he gave a dramatic pause, "and then _seven_." he finished grandly, as if that made all the difference.

"Same thing."

"When seven and eight sound like the same time to you, it might be time to retake schooling." Jiraiya stared unamused at Kakashi who shrugged in response. "I answered your questions," the masked boy said innocently. "It's not my fault you won't accept them."

The Sage looked frustrated, most likely at the fact that he couldn't explain a phenomenon as incredulously impossible as this, and Kakashi clearly wasn't sharing. "That's complete bull-"

"Jiraiya!" Sakumo snapped.

The older man cut off mid swear. Kakashi stared blandly back at him. For a while, the two locked in a silent staring contest before a low growl sounded from deep in the old man's throat. "Fine," Jiraiya said, face clearly saying it wasn't. "Keep your secrets."

Sakumo shot his friend a placating look. "Well, my son _is_ a prodigy…" he said hesitantly, because honestly, no matter how weak that reason was, it was still the only explanation that would possibly make any sense.

"If that's the case, then we've clearly been setting the bar too low for the other so-called prodigies," Jiraiya muttered lowly to himself, before sighing in defeat. The man turned towards Sakumo, giving him a quick nod. "It's about time I left. I've stayed here long enough as it is. I've got to get my network running."

"Thanks for helping me find Kakashi," the father called after him.

The Sage shrugged. "No problems. Keep your kid out of trouble." With that and a gush of wind, the white-haired Toad Sage _shunshined_ away, leaving nothing but leaves on the ground where he just was.

For a second, Sakumo looked like he had something to say to Kakashi. The man opened and closed his mouth for a good minute before shaking his head, defeated. He turned towards his son with an easy smile. "Let's head home," Sakumo said softly, getting up from the grassy floor. For the time being the man looked like he was content to just let things be, instead of pursuing information Kakashi clearly had no intention of divulging.

Kakashi nodded obediently and felt his unconsciously tensed posture relax ever-so-slightly. He looked over at his ninken. Getting the idea, seven of them disappeared with a puff, leaving only Pakkun sitting on his lap. Kakashi stayed where he was, watching as his father's figure grew smaller and smaller as several meters' distance spanned between them.

Pakkun looked between the father and son before speaking up. "I should probably go too."

Kakashi pursed his lips, not answering, his eyes fixed on his father's sturdy back as the man headed towards the their family Comppound. "Hey, you think my skills are slipping?" Kakashi murmured abruptly to Pakkun, remembering how emotional he'd been lately. Or did all these circumstances he was thrown into excused him to act as such?

The dog seemed to ponder the question before giving the silver-haired boy a quick shrug. "What can I say, Boss, you're lazy," Pakkun rumbled out, flopping his head.

Kakashi couldn't help the smile that slipped on his face at the comment. Trust Pakkun to stay constant even while the whole world was tipping off its axis. His dear, lazy, blunt Pakkun. Kakashi smiled softly as the dog disappeared from his lap in a quiet puff. "Yeah, the world's not going to change itself, is it?" he chuckled, before getting up to follow after his retreating father.

* * *

_Chapter 14: Tests_

Kenji Yamada was an unremarkable boy. He was probably one of those kids who you would have to look twice on the Academy photograph just to make sure he was really there. He was what one would call nondescript.

He had brown hair (like a third of the class), average height, and really, he was dressed in common, standard shinobi-ware. He was not in any clans. His grades themselves never made it past average. Kenji, frankly, did not stand out. He was practically invisible to the class; he was someone who you'd normally only talk to in the mornings when you gave your classmates their courtesy 'Good morning'.

One minute he was here, _blink_ , and the next he was gone. And no questions raised because his presence hadn't even properly registered in anyone's minds.

No one seemed to notice how Kenji seemed to be that extra face in their class who skipped out on all the exams their Chunin teacher gave them, or mysteriously disappeared whenever they had taijutsu practice.

That was not to say Kenji was stupid. No, he was a brilliant boy.

Why, Kenji could've easily been top of the class and taken shinobi of the year! But grades weren't important to him. Heck, he wasn't even officially registered in the class. All he was here for was a test – a challenge, and no one was any wiser, the little Chunin teacher included.

Kenji Yamada was just another face in the crowd, too drab and plain for anyone to notice – in fact, he was remarkably similar to other fleeting figures who'd cropped up in unusual rotations within the last months. Kagaru Shinto, Shime Tarou, Miru Okaname, Kiru Nagame, to name a few. They'd done everything from slipping into the crowd to tailing shinobi of various ranks.

All without anyone being any wiser (with the occasional too-close-for-comforts, of course).

And that was how Kakashi knew that his skills were still up to par (well, stealth at least), despite his physical appearance. Oh the uses of _Shadow Clones_ and _Henges_.

Kenji was Kakashi's last experiment, slipped into the Academy like he'd always belonged there.

In fact, it was almost odd being in that place after Kakashi had refused his acceptance into the institution. Sure the Jounin-turned-boy swore off the Academy, but that didn't mean he wasn't still training on his own. The Academy took too much time and patience. The painfully slow, step-wise procedure of becoming a great ninja was not something Kakashi could suffer through again.

He was a Jounin; he'd been in Anbu; heck, he'd been temporary Hokage. There was only so much he would take from the coddling he knew the adults would put upon him. And don't get him started on all the whole 'you're too young' spew that Kakashi _knew_ he would be receiving. Even when he was thirteen and receiving his rank as Jounin, they never stopped. He would never get anything done that way.

Plus, now he could spend as much time as he wanted with his dad. It was a win-win situation if you asked him.

There was no reason why he needed to be an official shinobi of Konoha. There was no reason to be acknowledged as a prodigy. The adults would only restrain him - watch him more closely. Kakashi didn't need that.

But don't mistake that as staying away from the action, oh no. Kakashi was more than happy, more than willing to risk it all for Konoha and his friends. He could not, and _would not_ watch his home fall into destruction once again.

And so, with this test labeled as a success, Kakashi knew he was ready to step up his game.

Pakkun was right. He was being too lazy; sometimes determination alone was not able to change things. He needed to act. Especially if he was going to obtain that ideal future he was so looking forward to.

* * *

 

 

_Chapter 15: Threat_

With his latest test finished and labeled a success, Kakashi, feeling elated, immediately set out to complete the next step of his plan.

When Sakumo left for a mission that week, Kakashi discreetly slipped along with him, trailing yards further and more cautiously than he ever had before; there was a reason why the White Fang had been such a feared shinobi after all. And of course, being on a constant _henge_ meant Kakashi was continually exuding chakra around his body. The more cautious he was, the better.

 _Henged_ into the convenient age (and height) he had been before the whole time-travelling business, Kakashi was certain he would be able to fight properly if needed to. There was also a sense of comfort being in the original lean form he'd lost so suddenly.

On his face, Kakashi wrapped a red scarf wrapped in place of his distinctive mask, bright and eye-catching, in order to draw attention away from his physical form, despite the _henge_ he'd already placed on. He'd coloured his bright silver hair raven black for further distinction between himself and little Kakashi, and also tweaked his facial structure, giving himself a sturdier, broader look.

The mission started out as all missions did; the Jounin team Kakashi's father led leaped quickly into the trees and sped out of Fire Country in a well-practiced formation. Kakashi trailed after his father and his teammates (Tetsu and Abume, if Kakashi remembered correctly), certain he wouldn't be recognised should any of them manage to accidentally catch a glimpse of him, or in case he was forced with no choice but to join in battle.

Although, if Kakashi was to be honest with himself, the only reason why he followed along was simply to make himself feel like he was doing something other than just sitting around. As far as Kakashi could recall, nothing dangerous would happen on this mission. It was simple, straightforward, and the team could handle it efficiently with hardly a scratch to bring home – or at least that was how Kakashi remembered it to be.

Kakashi should've been tipped off something was wrong the moment he noticed that for a Jounin team, Sakumo, Tetsu, and Abume seemed to be traveling slower than expected. But Kakashi had been too dependent of the future's past to realize things were not right.

The time-traveler watched as the three-men team exchanged words for moment, spurring them to pick up the pace. Yet, their speed was still nowhere near what was expected of Jounin. The cause of it all, Kakashi noted with worried uneasiness, seemed to be from Sakumo. The man had seemed fine when man-turned-boy had bid him goodbye at the Village Gates, so what was wrong? What had Kakashi missed? It irked and frustrated Kakashi to no end he'd failed to notice something off in his dad even after the many days he'd spend with him.

Kakashi desperately tried to draw on the comfort of future reports that had spelled out the success of the current mission as a way to keep his bubbling fears from surfacing, but things only seemed to get worse as the day went on.

The Konoha team were nearly a day into their mission when, without a warning, a team of Iwa nin had surrounded the group. Kakashi's pulse raced as he noticed the ambush not a second after the Konoha Jounin team had. He watched from his spot half hidden behind the trees, limbs twitching, impatient and eager to jump into battle. It was agonizing to watch; he couldn't just sit there and do _nothing_. Kakashi was a shinobi; he'd sworn to fight with his fellow comrades the moment he accepted his headband. Sitting idly in the sidelines when he was so very able, went against everything he lived for. And yet, Kakashi knew he had to if he didn't want to change the future of this mission.

Teeth biting into his lip hard enough to draw blood, Kakashi barely managed to keep himself in place. He tried to distract himself by training his eyes on Sakumo and Tetsu working in tandem, marveling at their combined jutsu. His eyes only flickered towards the great sparking lightening rock spheres that were their combined attack, before they were drawn abruptly by a startled cry.

"Sakumo!"

Kakashi's eye widened as they snapped back down towards the ground, hearing the shout from the man he recognised as Abume.

A bubble of fear floating under Kakashi's chest. A shout of ' _What did I overlook? Was dad actually not feeling well?'_ echoed quickly, mentally, through Kakashi's head before the man forced the thought away to focus on the present. Because his dad _had_ to be fine in the end. That was why Kakashi had been trying so desperately not to jump in and join the brawl. Kakashi hadn't done anything to change the future. _He hadn't._

Sakumo seemed to be doing fine despite that initial blunder. The older Hatake's eyes were narrowed into a serious glare, flickering rapidly around to survey the area. His head was clearly back into the game as the man then launched efficient attacks in succession to the unfortunate Iwa nin who chose the White Fang as his opponent.

Kakashi let out his unknowingly held breath in an unsteady stream of air.

And yet still…

Something seemed off. Sakumo didn't seem like he was giving it his all. There was something about the way his dad moved that didn't flow gracefully like the dance Kakashi was used to. There was a slight, almost unnoticeable hesitance in Sakumo's every move; it was like he was distracted by something. Something like…

Suddenly, in a flash of realisation, all of Sakumo's actions up until now made perfect sense to Kakashi. It was him; it was Kakashi himself! His dad had noticed him - it was as simple as that.

And now, Sakumo was focusing too much attention on him, deeming Kakashi the biggest threat of them all.

Kakashi wasn't sure what he was supposed to do to help. The idea to leave, removing himself so that Sakumo could focused solely on his battle, crossed the time-traveler's mind. But then, what would Sakumo think when Kakashi's presence suddenly disappeared? Would it set him into a greater worry, thinking Kakashi was moving to ambush him when he least expected it?

But Kakashi couldn't stay here anymore; he was causing his dad's faltering actions. In his mind, the Jounin ran through a series of possible courses of actions, hoping to find one that could help. Every idea Kakashi could think of would ultimately catch Sakumo's attention more than he already had, but Kakashi what else could he do; in the end, Kakashi settled on staying where he was and to cease suppressing his chakra. At the very least, in this case, Sakumo would know he was there without having to strain his senses in Kakashi's general position, nor have to spend extraneous energy trying to track a moving Kakashi.

The mental run of the scenario had seemed fine in Kakashi's mind. In real life, however ... not so much. Kakashi hadn't expected the sudden halt in every muscle of his dad's body as Sakumo's head practically snapped towards where he was hiding not even two seconds into his plan. And then from these two seconds onwards, everything went wrong.

The glow of Sakumo's silver hair swishing behind him as it caught the light was what had alerted Kakashi to the movement behind his dad. Sakumo was standing stiff and unaware to the whole thing, eyes strained towards Kakashi's location. Behind him, Kakashi could see the glinting edge of a sword moving closer and closer, even as the distinct ' _shing_ ' sound of unsheathing the sword was completely absent.

_Closer and closer and closer still..._

"D- Sakumo," Kakashi cried out before he could help himself, only momentarily tripping over the word.

Sakumo snapped into action at the words, as if breaking out of his trance and realising where he was. But his dad wasn't going to be quick enough to dodge, Kakashi noted, feeling a cold wave washing over him.

And how right he was.

Kakashi froze at the scene in front of him. This wasn't right. Kakashi stared, mesmerised by the slow flow of blood dripping like crossing tattoos as the liquid oozed down the man's arm, aided by gravity. This was not supposed to happen. _Sakumo was not supposed to get hurt._

Kakashi remember his dad's missions – well, maybe not all of them, but he could clearly remember the times his old man got hurt. He had always been a dutiful son who'd looked up to his father (except after that one faithful mission of Sakumo's but Kakashi would rather not dwell on that), asking the man's status after work, tracking the man's mission to be used for his own experiences. He was certain Sakumo never had any injuries to the arm like _that._

This was not right. Kakashi was changing things when he didn't mean to.

Sakumo never knew he was straying from his past as the man merely shrugged off the pain to draw out his famed tanto. Kakashi watched with baited breath, hoping nothing more would go wrong, as the White Fang lunged, arm swiping and white chakra highlighting his blade's path behind him.

The moment the Iwa-nin dodged, Kakashi's hands were already fixed into the ox seal, desperate to assist Sakumo. Kakashi held the hand-seal tight, mentally telling himself not to be rash. The slightest wavering of his self-restraint the moment Sakumo's head turned minutely towards Kakashi's hidden location _yet again_ , was enough for Kakashi to speed through the rest of it.

" _Chidori senbon,_ " Kakashi hissed from under his scarf. The time-traveller stepped half a foot out from behind the trees as he formed his Chidori into lightening charged needles. Kakashi watched in success as the sebon hit its mark. The Iwa nin stiffened, electricity shocking his nerves, before the man fell to the ground, paralyzed.

Everything was good and well for a second, before Kakashi realised what he had just done. He hadn't meant to show himself to his father. Honestly, he hadn't, but the sight of blood dripping down Sakumo's arms, the idea that someone _dared_ to harm his dad right in front of his eyes, and the possibility that it could happen once more, threw him into that unhesitant retaliation.

And maybe, deep, deep in his mind, Kakashi never stop associating blood on Sakumo as that dreadful day in the tatami room, where Sakumo had been practically swimming in it, with a blade lodge straight in his stomach.

"Who are you?" Sakumo demanded, turning on Kakashi as his chakra flared in warning.

Kakashi tried not to let his worry show for his dad. "Woah, calm, White Fang. You're hurt; you should save your chakra." His words meant nothing as his father's chakra flared again, eyes narrowing dangerously at the _henged_ Kakashi.

"I said 'who are you'?" he repeated, voice hard.

"Just an ally." Kakashi watched as Sakumo's grey eyes narrowed even further at his words. "Honest," he cried, as Sakumo's grip on his famed chakra blade tightened.

Kakashi was willing to call himself strong, but even he didn't want to go against Sakumo, Konoha's White Fang. The man was a legend whose name _still_ invoked fear in the future he was from. Being the man's son, Kakashi had never been on the bad side of the White Fang, and quite honestly, he never wanted to either.

So, of course, as luck would have it, the man looked more than ready to fight him off.

Kakashi took a step back, hands raised. "I mean no harm," he tried, "Save your chakra; you're aggravating your wounds, White Fang." The Jounin could feel his chest tighten in anxiety as Sakumo stared hard enough to look right through him. Illogical fear in Kakashi made him wished he had thought longer, and tried harder than the flimsy disguise he had on now because he was certain if Sakumo stared any longer the man would _see_ under his _henge_. Kakashi tried to look as innocent, as non-dangerous, as he could in order to stop the man from harboring any more suspicion, but that itself was quite hard considering he was a shinobi who'd once been dangerous enough to make it into the Bingo books.

For a second, however, Kakashi though he'd succeeded. And then the White Fang disappeared.

Torn between reacting and being seen as the enemy, or not moving and being caught, Sakumo made the decision for Kakashi when he grabbed the disguised man's arms into a hold and slammed his scarfed face into the ground. The pain cleared quickly, only for Kakashi to hear "You're coming back with us," from Sakumo in an unusually vicious tone.

Kakashi didn't know what he'd done to anger his dad so much, but he tried to answer as flippantly as he could to diffuse the situation. "Is this how you treat people who help you?"

Nothing in Sakumo's voice changed. "You are an unknown threat to Konoha."

A _threat?_ Kakashi had been trying his damn hardest not to be seen as a threat.

Kakashi tried to shift his body into a more comfortable position, but that only prompted Sakumo to shove him harder, restricting his movements even further. This was going nowhere. The only action Kakashi could take at this point was a tactical retreat. Kakashi had already considered it the moment Sakumo had detected him, but the sight of the changing timeline had kept him rooted in place, unable to leave in case anything else went wrong. And what was worse was that anything that would go wrong would've been _his_ _fault_ too.

But what else could he do now, as clearly Sakumo wasn't going to be listening to him anytime soon. Kakashi sighed in defeat. "Alright, have it your way."

With a heavy heart, only half certain he really, really wanted to let his dad finish the mission alone now that he future seemed out of line already, Kakashi delved inside of his soul, pulling at his own chakra. When he found it, he sliced at it, discontinuing the flow.

With a silent _puff,_ Kakashi was gone.


	4. 16-20

_Chapter 16: Fear_

**Earlier**

Sakumo had left the village feeling paranoid. The moment he set foot out of the village gates, he couldn't help but feel  _something_  following after his team’s every movement. Perhaps it was due to having spent his entire break with Kakashi, but Sakumo's mind seemed eager to recognise the feeling as his son. Suffice to say, Sakumo paid that idea no heed. It was ridiculous; why would Kakashi be following him, never mind the  _how_.

"Are you alright there, Sakumo?" one of the jounin in front of him asked, seeing the man lagging behind.

The silver-haired man frowned momentarily before shaking his head. "Just stay vigilant, Tetsu, Abume," he said to his two teammates, casting a final check back before speeding up with them.

The team hopped up the trees as Sakumo snorted to himself, suddenly feeling like a hopeless, over-loving dad. That persistent nagging absolutely must've been the manifestation of Sakumo's desire to be by his son’s side. Why else would he feel Kakashi everywhere? The Hatake sighed pitifully at himself, and pushed aside his parental thoughts. "Let's keep up the pace," he said instead, narrowing his eyes in an attempt to focus on the road ahead. Sakumo was determined not to let his baseless paranoia get the better of him.

The mission was straightforward – sneak into an enemy camp just outside of their country border and to retrieve their scrolls for Konoha's intelligence team. They'd obtained information that Iwa nin would be crossing Fire Country grounds with a scroll bearing information about certain plans detailing ideas of betrayal against an allied country.

What should have been a relatively fast journey – definitely with enough time to set up and traps before the enemy arrived - lagged longer than expected. And it was mainly Sakumo's fault too, the man was ashamed to admit.

The prickling eyes of what Sakumo tried to pretend was nothing, was far more distracting than the man liked to admit. He'd lost focus many times to have his senses drawn towards that seemingly familiar chakra lurking just too far away.

His eyes saw nothing, but his senses screamed  _something._

His guts told him to worry, but something else in him told him it was no threat and to just ignore it.

Sakumo was torn between believing his instincts or believing his honed experiences. No one else around him seemed to notice this stalker. Or, if they had, they weren't worried about it.

Sakumo wondered for one impossibly quick second that perhaps he was too old nowadays, imagining things that weren't there. But then again, the stalker just might've been just that good at hiding his presence. After all, Sakumo hadn't been hailed as a shinobi equal in status to the Legendary Three for nothing. But whatever it was, the nagging presence and knowledge that someone, or something, was keeping constant watch on them, made Sakumo weary.

To be able to hide from everyone but himself made this stalker a huge threat and warranted more than enough reason for Sakumo to keep his outwardly-oblivious but absolutely sharp watch on him. It was tiring to keep a sliver of chakra trained on the stalker throughout the whole mission – low enough that the other couldn't detect, but strong enough that he never lost hold of the other's movements.

Perhaps it was that utterly sloppy, distracted attention Sakumo gave to his actual mission as a result, that was Sakumo's greatest mistake. It was far too late when the team realised they were surrounded – something Sakumo would swear himself blind that he  _would've_  been able to detect ages ago had he not been so distracted.

But still, as Sakumo fought, he wouldn't get the stalker's chakra out of his senses because someone that skilled and so unknown had to have been following them for a reason. And what kind of ninja would Sakumo be if he didn't consider the possibility that the stalker and the army of enemy ninja around his team were not just any ol' coincidence?

"In formation," Sakumo called out under his breath as he caught his teammates' eyes.

The Konoha ninjas leaped together into a defensive circle with their backs touching. Their eyes were sharp and diligent as they surveyed their surroundings.

"Shit, when did this happen?" Tetsu cursed, dropping into a ready stance as his team moved over slightly to give him room. Tetsu's teammates stood on guard around him as the man sped through his handseals before ending with the bird seal. " _Doton: Doryuso no Jutsu,_ (Earth Release: Earth Style Spears)" he cried.

Sakumo placed his hands in the monkey seal with a barely audible "Raiton" on his lips, releasing Lightning chakra to coat the showering earth spears. The Hatake's sharp eyes followed the enemy around them, trying to keep track of everything. Yet, he couldn't help himself as his eyes continuously strayed over to where the prickling stare of the unnamed shinobi gazed endlessly over at them.

"Sakumo!" Abume yelled, quick hands yanking the back of the jounin's vest just as an Iwa-nin emerged from under him. Abume deflected the ninja's weapons with two successive shots of kunai, before dislodging the enemy with a strong, vicious kick in the chest.

Sakumo shook his head clear. "Thanks," he shot back over.

Not letting himself dwell on his mistake, the Hatake shifted his body. It was just in time as another Rock ninja rushed at him, assuming he was too distracted to deflect properly. Sakumo surprised him with a slam in the shoulders.

The two ninjas engaged in a vicious fight, exchanging blows for blows, knowing not to underestimate the other. Around him, Sakumo could sense his teammates, Tetsu and Abume involved in their own scuffles.

Sakumo was holding onto his own. He was doing fine.

No, that was wrong; Sakumo hadn't realised just how much focus he'd had directed at where he knew the unknown ninja hid, until he'd lost concentration on his own battle the moment he'd felt a sudden spike of chakra emitted from that way. No one but himself reacted to it, having been the only one with his senses honed strongly to that direction to even notice it in the first place.

The White Fang hadn't realised he'd snapped his head over, silver hair swishing behind him as his limbs unconsciously shifted to anticipate the stalker’s actions. He hadn't realised just how much attention he'd taken away from the battle to be directed at that pin slither of foreign chakra until a shout of his name caught his attention.

Without even the time to register who'd warned him, the Hatake's mind swirled back inwards to the battle at hand, just in time to catch a wind of movement from behind. Arms drew into a tight cross in front of his body, hoping to take the brute of the attack.

A flicker of light glimmered as it reflected off a dull metallic surface, and then  _pain._  Sakumo barely had time to grunt from the injury before the sword withdrew from his arm, a tail of glistening red blood trailing behind it. Sakumo growled sharply, but otherwise ignoring the throbbing flesh wound he received. Sakumo paid no heed to the crimson droplets decorating his movements as he unsheathed his own tanto, swiping it expertly at the enemy. The Iwa shinobi dodged. It was in that second that lightning senbon flew out from where Sakumo had least expected it - and pierced straight through the Iwa nin.

Sakumo let out a hiss of air in surprise, jumping back, his heart beating like mad.

With a quick glance at the fallen enemy paralyzed on the ground, then at the progress of his own teammates, Sakumo turned towards where he  _definitely_  knew was the location of the stalking shinobi.

The unknown shinobi was stepped in front of the looming shadows of trees where he had hidden himself, forced out when he had unleashed his jutsu. The man kept in a low, defensive stance. His dark eyes, visible like featuring displays above the hem of his bright red scarf, stared sharp and calculatingly at Sakumo. If the White Fang weren't lying to himself, he would've said that he was certain those piercing eyes looked as though they knew more about Sakumo than Sakumo did of himself.

It was unnerving.

There was a silence as the silver-haired man expertly wiped off the blood on his hands and adjusted his hold on this weapon into a stance bearing no weaknesses. "Who are you?" Sakumo asked, his voice sharp, but he couldn't help the tilt of curious anger that accompanied the words.

When the other man kept quiet still, Sakumo let out a deep growl, pulling what chakra he could spare into an intimidating swirling aura.

Worry was the last thing Sakumo expected from the unknown ninja, and yet, it was worry that crossed the man's eyes at that exact moment. "Woah, calm, White Fang. You're hurt; you should save your chakra." Sakumo could feel his clutch on his weapon slacken an inch as he hesitated before he steeled himself once more, flaring his chakra in warning for a greater effect.

Sakumo clenched his teeth, pushing out all emotion in his tone. His grey eyes traced the lithe outline of the other man, suddenly hyperaware of the familiarity in his figure. "I said 'who are you'?" Sakumo demanded, trying to ignore the blanket of confusion that was threatening to tuck around him. He seemed so familiar suddenly, but goddamnit, Sakumo couldn't place a name to the face. There was something about the way the other man stood, the way he tilted his head as he talked, the way his haunted dark eyes looked over at Sakumo, that had the White Fang's whole soul screaming at him to  _recognise._  But for the life of him, he couldn't conjure up an image of any man with those features.

He felt like he was building a jigsaw, presented with all the necessary pieces, but unable to fit them together. And Sakumo supposed the man looked generic enough to be just about  _anybody_ , with his standard jounin flak jacket and jet black hair.

Sakumo had shifted his attention to the unknown ninja's face when the man finally answered, "Just an ally". The Hatake deepened his gaze, mind desperately trying to run through the faces of everyone he knew once more, but he came up short yet again. "Honest," the man cried out, as if sensing Sakumo's thoughts.

 _Lie_. The word echoed in the White Fang's mind. He was trying to catch Sakumo off guard; that had to be it. The man's chakra was an utterly useless identification marker, selectively suppressed such that any recognisable features of it was muted – and, Sakumo was certain, the man also had an ability to manipulate his signature, if the slight nag of comforting familiarity in it was any indication. Undoubtedly the man was trying to get Sakumo to lower his guard again.

"I mean no harm. Save your chakra; you're aggravating your wounds, White Fang," the man exclaimed just as quickly, taking a step backwards. Sakumo's eyes followed the man's gloved hands as he lifted them upwards, making sure the unnamed shinobi wasn't going to flick out any hidden needles.

But the man didn't do anything.

' _Is he holding up his hands in surrender?'_

Sakumo narrowed his eyes trying to find fault in his action, because the man was a ninja, and ninjas had no honour. To lie and trick and cheat their way to victory was the ninja way, Sakumo knew, despite how much he hated that policy himself.

In a flash, Sakumo appeared behind the scarfed man, pushing the unknown ninja face to the ground, twisting his arm behind his back to prevent the man from doing whatever he had planned. The man below him let out a pained hiss but Sakumo paid him no heed. He tried to ignore the sudden whiff of  _Kakashi_  that seemed to emit from the man.

"You're coming back with us," Sakumo stated harshly, suddenly enraged by the scent.

"Is this how you treat people who help you?" the man retorted in a muffled voice.

"You are an unknown threat to Konoha," Sakumo replied plainly, voice never losing its metallic touch.

The man below Sakumo wiggled awkwardly as Sakumo only pushed his head harder into the ground. Finally the scarfed man let out a defeated huff, and his body slumped, losing fight. "Alright," the man agreed, "Have it your way." And then in a puff, he was gone, smoke slipping through Sakumo's fingers like whispers in the wind.

"Shadow clone," the White Fang muttered to himself in annoyance. Sakumo stood up dusting off his hands, but his eyes vigilantly scanned the area in case the original was nearby. There was nothing there. Not even that little niggling feeling Sakumo had from the beginning of the mission was present anymore.

Sakumo gave a low curse under his breath knowing the unknown ninja had gotten away. His grey eyes slid to his teammates. They'd managed to finish up their own battle only just moments before, and were already wiping their blood-coated kunai in a calm ease above the dead in a way only someone of their profession could manage. Abume nodded over at the White Fang while holding out a roll of bandages for the man. Beside him, Tetsu juggled the scroll he nicked from the unconscious Rock-nin. "We're lucky these men were the ninjas we were looking for. I was afraid we might've alerted them and they'd sent an ambush team at us instead."

The Hatake nodded, content in staying quiet and still letting his sense stretch around him. When he was absolutely certain that nothing was nearby, he gave out his orders. "If they're here that means their teammates must be close by, or coming this way soon," Sakumo said as his team nodded in agreement. "Set up an ambush. Let's get this mission over with as soon as possible."

And if his words seemed like they were rigid and rushed, Sakumo supposed it was only fair considering the raging maelstrom in his mind that was composed completely of fear. – Because somehow, the unknown shinobi had gotten Kakashi's scent on him, and Sakumo dreaded to wonder  _how_.

* * *

 

_Chapter 17: Dangerous_

Sakumo and his team split up as soon as they had handed in their scrolls to the Konoha Intelligence Unit upon reaching Konoha. Tetsu and Abume had left to give their mission report to the Hokage while Sakumo had left for the hospital. The medic nin was just finished dressing Sakumo's wound when the Hokage strolled in.

"Hokage-sama." The silver-haired man started to rise in greeting just as the old man held up his hand.

"No need." Sarutobi nodded, dismissing the nurses, before turning back to his Jounin. "Sakumo, I heard you came across an unexpected help in your mission," the Hokage said, straight to the point. At the White Fang's dip of the head, the Hokage continued on. "I've gotten the debriefing from your teammates, but they advised me to speak with you about the man. You were the one with the most contact with him?"

"Correct, Hokage-sama." Sakumo clenched his fist at the memory of the unknown ninja standing in front of him, trying to act all innocent despite having  _stalked_  them throughout their entire mission. There was no hesitation as Sakumo voiced all that he could about the shinobi who'd smelled too strongly of Kakashi for Sakumo to just ignore.

"I see." The Hokage replied when Sakumo was finished spilling out everything. What exactly the Hokage saw, Sakumo didn't know. All he had were his own suspicions, and none of them sounded any better than the next.

"The first thing I thought was that he wanted me to think he was Kakashi," Sakumo began, voicing his thoughts, "But that was ridiculous. Kakashi's five, and he was clearly in his mid- or early- twenties. Besides, in any case, there was absolutely no reason why Kakashi would follow me out on a mission.

"Then, I thought perhaps he was a Hatake," Sakumo continued, "Or at least trying to pass himself off as a Hatake." Which wouldn't have worked considering Sakumo was certain he and his son were the only living members of the Hatake Clan left. Not to mention the unknown ninja had raven black hair as opposed to the Hatakes' distinctive silver colouring. "Both ideas sounded hilariously ludicrous." Sakumo highly doubted any enemy nin would try those obviously futile tactics.

"Yes," the Hokage agreed thoughtfully, "Then this leads us to a third conclusion – it was a threat. The scarfed ninja wanted you to notice he'd gotten close to Kakashi."

Sakumo bit his lip in a nervous gesture. "Yes, I thought about that." A gradual tone of panic rose in Sakumo's voice. "But how? When?!"

"I'm afraid I do not know," the Hokage responded. The old man articulated each word in a calm, even manner, no doubt trying to sooth Sakumo's frantic thoughts with his tone.

But Sakumo ignored the comforting force the Hokage tried to convey. The thought of an unknown ninja sneaking around in their village, who'd gotten close enough to Kakashi to be able to have Kakashi's scent linger on his clothes, frightened Sakumo too much. Sakumo would let  _no one_  use his little boy as bait.

 

**x**

When Sakumo rushed back to the Compound that day after expressing his worries to the Hokage, the man immediately sought out Kakashi. The moment Sakumo saw his little boy sitting on the roof of their compound, Sakumo grabbed him, turning him over, searching for injuries. Who knew if that damned unknown shinobi approached Kakashi again while he was finishing up his mission?

Kakashi, as any five-year-old would, tried to struggle out of the man's hold. "What's the matter?" Kakashi cried as his father manhandled him.

With his son in his arms, the White Fang hopped off the roof, settling the two of them back on solid ground. He looked over Kakashi once more, strong arms wrapped around the boy to keep him in place. Sakumo pressed his face into his son's hair, trying to catch a whiff of anything foreign.

" _What_?" Kakashi stressed again, trying to wiggle away.

"Kakashi," Sakumo began, voice with more fear than he intended, "Have you seen anyone suspicious hanging around?"

The masked boy stopped where he was, tipping his head. "Why?" he asked, sounding too curious for Sakumo's liking. There was  _something_  in his voice as Kakashi had said this, but Sakumo couldn't place a name to it. Had that damned shinobi honestly  _dared_ to approach Kakashi?

Sakumo stood, feeling his back stiffen at the idea. It took two tries for the older man to unclench his teeth from the tight grimace he held them in. "When was this?" The man demanded, unable to help the vicious hiss that coated his words.

From his anger filled mind, Sakumo could make out the sudden flinch in his boy. The older Hatake abruptly took a deep breath, forcing his breathing even, and a semi-calm façade back on his face. "Sorry," Sakumo began again, holding a soft hand on Kakashi's shoulder, feeling a tight tension in them. "I didn't mean to sound mad at you. I'm not," Sakumo placated. "It's just that if that man had gotten in contact with you in any form … He's dangerous," Sakumo growled out.

Kakashi blinked for a second before looking up at him, eyes looking wary. "'That man'? 'Dangerous'?"

"Yes." Sakumo nodded, before realising he'd failed to describe the man to Kakashi, in the frantic frame of mind he was in. "He is roughly an inch shorter than myself. Lithe form. Pale skin. Dark black hair. He was wearing standard shinobi garbs with a bright red scarf wrapped around his lower face. Perhaps in his mid twenties."

Something, what Sakumo could only describe as 'hope' (but he dearly hoped he'd read that wrong) seemed to sink from Kakashi's staring eyes. "Ah, him."

"Where did you see him?" The older Hatake pressed, hoping hard it was nothing like what he was fearing.

His son kept quiet for a second before giving a lazy shrug of the shoulders. "He was standing by the Village Gates when I was there bidding your team goodbye," he said blandly. Sakumo wanted to laugh, suddenly realising he might've been overreacting just a bit if all Kakashi's contact with him was merely observation from afar.

But wait, how did that explain the scent of Kakashi lingering on the man? He must've approached his son. "Did he say anything to you?"

Sakumo watched, almost wishing he could yell at his son to ' _Hurry up and spit it out already!_ ' without scaring him, as the boy gave a lackadaisical stretch. It also didn't help when Kakashi ignored his question. "What did he do?" he asked instead.

"That's not important, Kakashi."

"What did he do that makes you think he's so dangerous?" Kakashi persisted.

Sakumo wanted brush it off again, but there was a silent plead in his son's eyes, almost drowning the boy's grey-blues, that Sakumo couldn't ignore. "He was following my team throughout our whole mission. He may be an enemy," the man offered.

"So he attacked you?"

"… no."

"Then what did he do?"

Sakumo couldn't understand why Kakashi was so unrelenting about the whole thing. "That's not important."

"If he didn't attack you, then he saved you," Kakashi reasoned, fingers slayed out in front of him in an annoyed gesture. "Why are you insisting so badly that he's the enemy then?"

"Because he  _is_. For all we know, we just had a common enemy. Just because he was insisting he was an ally and that he meant no harm to us doesn't mean it's true."

"Maybe he  _was_  telling the truth," Kakashi insisted trying to hold intact his frustration at his father's stubbornness. "What if he  _was_  an ally?"

A frown appeared on the White Fang's face. "No. If he had Konoha's best interest in mind, he would've gone and become a registered shinobi. Vigilantes have their own hidden agendas," Sakumo said sharply. The man's eyes focused on Kakashi's face, trying to read what emotions he could from his son, because it sounded like Kakashi was eager to protect this man, and Sakumo feared it was because the unknown ninja had had contact with his precious son already - and who knows what he'd managed to convince Kakashi?

Kakashi looked past Sakumo, eyes sliding off to the side of his father's face into a long-yard stare. "I suppose," the boy murmured finally conceding to the fact.

The reluctant agreement tugged uneasily around Sakumo's heart. "Promise me," he said suddenly, jolting Kakashi's attention back to him, "Promise me the moment you see him again – or anyone suspicious – tell me straight away."

The silver-haired time-traveler could hear the worried panic in his father's tone at the idea that Kakashi could've been involved with this 'unknown threat', and he really didn't want to worry him any further. The masked boy nodded softly. "Alright," Kakashi finally replied. "I promise I will."  _And since his henged double worried his dad so much,_  "I'm certain you'll never run into him ever again," Kakashi said in comforting certainty.

"You never know," Sakumo retorted.

"I think your stubborn suspicions of him are more than enough to drive him away," Kakashi commented in a weak, almost humourless laugh.

"Good," Sakumo said firmly. Because if that damned self-appointed ninja ever approached his son, there would be hell to pay.

* * *

 

_Chapter 18: Reminiscence_

In the days between Sakumo's missions, the Hatake men took to spending time together. It was supposed to be joyful and relaxing as the parent and child heedlessly strolled through their village or dined out.

These days they were anything but, in Kakashi's opinion, watching his father's tensed, paranoid posture as they headed out of the Hatake Compound. In a way, the boy supposed, he couldn't blame Sakumo. It wasn't the man's fault he was so afraid the 'unknown' ninja would try to contact Kakashi again.

Nevertheless, the jounin-turned-boy tried to stay as happy and carefree as he could for his father sake. Kakashi kept a loving smile under his mask as he looked over at his father, certain that despite his mask, Sakumo would notice it. What he made of it, however, was completely out of Kakashi's control. So, in all honesty, he wasn't surprised with the explanation Sakumo had conjured up for Kakashi's unusually affectionate personality.

"Any reason why you look like you're trying to butter me up for something?" Sakumo asked, amusement in his tone, one day as the two were taking a stroll through the village.

Kakashi widened his eyes boyishly over at him, drawing an innocent face. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said rather unconvincingly.

The older Hatake raised an eyebrow, looking over at his son.

Kakashi shrugged his little shoulders, unable to help the growing grin on his face. As his mind went through his repertoire of snarky, teasing quips that would be appropriate to shoot back at his dad (it wouldn't do to say anything a little  _too_  perverted, after all), the sounds of children's laughter suddenly caught his ears.

The boy unknowingly turned towards the sound, his movements slowing down gradually to a stiff, abrupt stop. Kakashi had to force himself not to rub at the spot above his heart; his chest had a soft achy feeling he'd  _thought_  he'd gotten rid of now that his life was somewhat back into a sort of normalcy. It seemed like he was wrong - he hadn't.

Sakumo was hesitant when the man gently placed a warm hand by the crook of Kakashi's pale neck. "Is something the matter, Kid?" he asked, halting the pace he was walking in order to stand beside his suddenly frozen son.

Kakashi was silent. In fact he hadn't even heard Sakumo. Kakashi tried to blink off the memories that were suddenly assaulting him from all senses. Because he  _wasn't_  in the future, and those weren't his kids – and frankly it'd been ages since his kids had laughed so young and innocently nowadays, not with war and betrayal haunting their every smile. And this wasn't  _Kakashi's_  Academy (not for another good twenty or so years), where he'd met his kids, or had been chased by the generation after ("Help me grab the pervert's mask," Naruto had shouted. "Yes Boss!" the Konohamaru Corps had responded with equally mischievous faces).

Kakashi's eyes sought out the windows of the Academy they were standing in front of, looking for a brunet he'd only met once and yet he knew far too much about (courtesy of Naruto), and who  _wouldn't_  be there, because like him and all the other shinobi Kakashi had gotten to know, they were all still children and ignorant of the war to come. And he'd tried not to look too hard at the lone swing tied to the tree in front of the Academy that he knew Naruto had spent most of his lonely days sitting on, or the rooftop that was much cleaner and newer than the place he'd gotten his kids to introduce themselves. Because this  _wasn't_  his future anymore, no matter how much he both hated and loved the idea.

"Kakashi."

Grey-blue eyes slowly rotated upwards, before a smile Kakashi hadn't realised he'd lost was drawn back on his face. "Yes, dad?" he asked lightly.

Sakumo pursed his lips into a line, eyes sliding where Kakashi had been looking at. The white mud walls and orange tiled roof of the Academy stood before him, children running mindlessly, happily around in their Lunch break. "Looks like they're having fun," he commented, gesturing over.

Kakashi shrugged. "I suppose so." The boy glanced up knowing Sakumo had more to say.

"Are you- Do you want to attend?"

The boy could feel the muscles of his face slipping his smile into something more natural as amusement of the idea flooded through him. "Not particularly," he said. He would be a terror for the Chunin teachers.

Uncertainty fleeted quickly across Sakumo's face. "Are you sure? It could be arranged - no hassle."

Kakashi paused at the concern in his father's voice, wondering for a moment what he had shown on his face in that quick second after he'd heard the children's laughter. Loneliness? Longing? Regret? He didn't know how Team Seven, with their unique quirks, had managed to discreetly worm their way into his heart so efficiently. "Quite certain." There was a hint of disappointment under Sakumo's grey eyes Kakashi almost missed, if it weren't for the months of staring into his dad's face, trying to carve every crease, line, and action into memory without the Sharingan. "Why, do you want me to?"

Sakumo shook his head, letting his gloved hands pull his son into to half hug. "Not if you don't want to," he murmured sincerely.

Kakashi stood in his dad's embrace as a thought struck his mind. "Oh, you're worried," he said. The White Fang gave a soft, noncommittal hum from the back of his throat, which Kakashi took as a yes. "Because you think –" - _that I'm lonely. -that I should be around children of my own age. –that it would keep me safe._  "-that I should learn to better protect myself should that unknown ninja come back."

"Don't take him so lightly," the man chided, most likely reacting to the blasé tone Kakashi used.

"He won't be back."

"You never know," Sakumo said, repeating the same sentence in the same sharp bark he'd used days before.

Kakashi worked a small smile on his little face. "Well, if  _I_  can help it, then he won't be back," the boy offered.

The time-traveler tried to ignore the sudden panic on his father's face. "Don't get involved, he's –"

"-dangerous," Kakashi finished for the man, in the soft tone he'd been using the whole time, "Yes, I know. I won't. I promise."

Sakumo nodded, giving his son a comforting rub on the back before a playful shove to get them moving once more. "I'll hold you to that promise," he said.

Kakashi only smiled sadly, facing off to the side where his father couldn't see. "... alright then. For you."

* * *

 

_Chapter 19: Premonition_

The sky was cast in a positively orange hue as the sun sank slowly off to the beyond, between the tall, majestic trees that littered the outskirts of Konoha. The clouds were stretched into wispy cotton fluffs hiding sparsely across the sky. It was so very much like the usual calm scenery Kakashi occasionally stared listlessly at to pass the hours, and yet so very much  _not_ like it at all; there was a mess of dark black paint mixed in that orange canvas that swirled so eerily it drew an ominous feeling from deep within Kakashi.

The man-turned-boy stared at the sky with his head leaned against the bark of a tree in the middle of the Compound. His gloved fingers flickered mindlessly through the opened book propped against his crossed leg, mind continuously returning to the apprehensive feeling the sight provoked. Kakashi hoped it wasn't a premonition of something horrible to come, because that would be an awful coincidence.

But apparently fate loved coincidences.

"I'll be leaving on a mission tomorrow," Sakumo said as soon as he entered the compound.

At first, Kakashi didn't think too much of it. "Okay," the silver-haired boy replied, resting his head on the tree he was leaning against as he looked down from the spread of the sky. "Is it going to take-" Words cut off as Kakashi's mind caught up to the date. For all his life, there were certain dates Kakashi could never forget, no matter how hard he tried to shove them where they could resurface no more. Today was one of them.

Dread filled Kakashi's stomach as he tried to pull his way out of the onslaught of memories that suddenly piled down on him, broken free the moment he let himself remember. From his numb fingers, his book fell on the floor with a loud, echoing  _bam._

Sakumo looked up at the sound. He whipped his head back, kunai already in hand and posed to attack. "What's wrong?" he asked when he assured himself they were still, in fact, alone.

Kakashi didn't answer, the sudden realisation hitting him too hard. For a while Kakashi had thought he had changed enough of the past to the point where Sakumo wouldn't have to take that damned mission once more. But that wasn't the case; he'd only shifted the timeline in Konoha a bit. The clients outside still came on time to request their missions as they did once before, because while Kakashi was an inconsistent being in the past who threatened a continuous, identical future to the one he came from, Kakashi was still only a minor change – and one that was confined to Konoha too. Kakashi's actions had little effect on the bigger world outside his village, especially only with the tiny, minuscule changes he had instigated.

And so the client's order, sent from outside of Fire Country, came as it had once in the past, never knowing the oddity that was Kakashi, who had slipped into the time stream. And from that client was Sakumo's mission – a fate the man couldn't escape. That mission – tomorrow's mission – it would take two weeks, Kakashi remembered, and the day Sakumo came back, he would forever be outcast by the rest of the village.

_Kakashi hadn't changed a thing._

He couldn't … Kakashi wouldn't let his old man go through that again. Not when he still had the chance to stop him. "I- I don't feel well," Kakashi murmured in a petulant voice, hoping Sakumo would stay and care for him instead of leaving for the mission. It was a sad, futile hope however, and Kakashi knew it; Sakumo was a shinobi just as much as he was a father, and a mission was a mission, and the White Fang hadn't gained his reputation by rejecting his assignments on a whim.

A gloved hand touched Kakashi's forehead. "You don't seem to have a fever."

Kakashi clutched a fisted hand by his chest, willing the desperate clawing pain inside to go away. He shook himself off his father's touch. "Do you have to go tomorrow? I feel sick. What if it gets worse tomorrow?" the boy tried hopelessly.

Sakumo frowned, but shook his head. "No, I was recommended for the mission, and I already gave my word to the Hokage and the client. I can't take it back now. I already accepted the mission."

 _Kakashi hadn't changed a thing._ "But-"

The White Fang held up a hand. "Sorry, Kakashi." Sakumo kneeled by his son, pulling a smile on his face. "I'll tell you what, I'll alert the hospital nurses to come check up on you tomorrow, okay?"

The boy didn't answer, his teeth clenched tightly together as his pale hands shook by his sides.

"Kakashi?"

The boy swallowed hard, trying to get past the lump in his throat. "If you had a choice in doing what was required of you, and what was right, which would you choose?" he asked, slowly at first, but the words came more and more urgently as he continued on.

The silver-haired man looked up sharply, bewildered at the abrupt topic change. "What's with this-"

Kakashi's eyes flickered wildly, unable to focus. "And you knew that by not doing what was taught and expected, people would scorn you for the rest of your life?"

There was a long pause.

"Kakashi, why are you asking this?"

The little five-year-old boy stared him in the eye. "Humour me," he said in a voice too old for his age. It unnerved Sakumo to no end.

"I'd – I would do the right thing," the older Hatake finally said, through all the confusion.

"Even if  _everyone_  hated you afterwards?"

"… even you?"

"No," Kakashi murmured into his arms, shaking his head, eyes dark and  _remembering_. "Not me; never again."

"Then I would still do it again," Sakumo replied softly, with determination and strong conviction in his tone. He refused to let his confusion show. He looked up, forcing himself to stare at his son.

There was too much emotion in his son's eyes for Sakumo to describe. Before he could get a good look into them, Kakashi closed his eyes with a deep sigh breathed through his lips, exhaled in what seemed like a tightly controlled manner. When the grey-blue eyes opened again, it was all gone. "Good luck on your mission tomorrow, Dad," he merely said.

Sakumo nodded. "It'll all be fine," he replied, trying to assure Kakashi.

His son simply gave him an almost inaudible whispered reply. " _I hope so_." And involuntary tingles traveled down Sakumo's spine at his voice.

* * *

 

_Chapter 20: Paranoia_

He wanted to go. Kakashi really,  _really_  wanted to, but he knew that would only make Sakumo more paranoid.

The man couldn't stand his double.

Kakashi couldn't forget that first time Sakumo saw him. He wasn't a threat; Kakashi would never be a threat to his dad, but Sakumo didn't know that, couldn't see that. The man saw how powerful Kakashi was and Kakashi knew, like last time, Sakumo would focus all his energy to defeating that "unknown" ninja the moment he detected him, and practically forget everything else.

Last time Sakumo got lucky and was merely nicked by a sword. No, that was a lie; that wasn't luck. Sakumo was  _never_  supposed to get hurt in that mission  _at all_. Kakashi's presence there changed things. The White Fang got hurt because of him, and what if _this time_  something worse occured? What if he caused his father to die?

He'd thought he was doing so well too, trailing after his father and his team, but it turned out Sakumo had detected Kakashi the whole time. He'd distracted Sakumo. He'd scared Sakumo. He'd gotten the man hurt.

What would happen  _this_  time?

No, Kakashi couldn't do it. Kakashi  _oh so_  wanted to, but he couldn't, because every time he'd barely managed to convince himself it  _just might_ be better if he followed Sakumo, the memory of glistening ruby-red blood oozing down his father's arms convinced him how terrible things could and would turn out again.

A stab through the arm was lucky already. Where would it be next, if Kakashi continued to ignore all warnings and followed after his paranoid father? A stab through the chest when the White Fang was distracted?

Plus he'd promised; he'd  _promised_  his father his double wouldn't be back. Kakashi was sick and tired of lying to his father all the time. It was true that it was necessary to lie in order for the time-traveler to live efficiently in his childhood life, but that didn't mean his heart didn't clench guiltily every word he said. For once he could keep his word … but at what cost?

_Kakashi hated how utterly useless his henged self was._

It was not supposed to be this way; Kakashi had planned it all out months and months ago, encouraged by Pakkun's words, and agreeing how he should know better than to just sit idly by the sidelines. Kakashi had the plot completely drafted out in his mind. His self-appointed mission was to save his family and friends from their fate – and that, of course, included his fellow shinobi as well. What better way to help than to discreetly accompany them on their missions and inconspicuously help remove threats if it got too much for them to handle? Kakashi figured as long as he stayed hidden as to not interfere with the dispatched team, the timeline would stay relatively the same (or at least until he saved someone who had died in the original timeline. But even afterwards, a single life saved couldn't possibly ripple the future too drastically). A team travelling without Kakashi, as was the future, seemed no different from a team travelling with a hidden Kakashi.

And so to start the plan, Kakashi had decided to go on a mission he already knew the outcome of – his father's mission. In a matter of a day, the plan completely fell apart.

Kakashi supposed he should've known better than to trail the Legendary White Fang, but what was done was done. Sakumo would've likely told the Hokage about Kakashi's double the moment the man returned from his mission, and most likely all shinobi of Konoha knew about him by now.

Perhaps one day in the future, Kakashi could continue with this plan, after the paranoia of dispatched teams were not as high and alert (and of course this time Kakashi would refrain from following after teams with Legendarily strong shinobi in them). But for now, his  _henged_  self (even if he  _henged_ into some other form) was completely useless because Kakashi was certain everyone had already been warned to watch out for unknown stalking ninjas.

The only good thing this whole mishap led to was the distraction it gave Sakumo, who, between missions, being a decent father, and searching for the unknown ninja plus trying to figure out said ninja's purpose or relations, was too busy to pursue Kakashi's secrets. Sakumo didn't have time to wonder how Kakashi managed to summon eight ninja dogs, or why he had such odd mood swings, let alone trying to get Kakashi to talk about it.

So, perhaps, thinking about things that way, maybe his  _henged_  self really wasn't completely useless after being detected, but it still meant that Kakashi couldn't accompany his father on this dreadful mission of his.

Kakashi couldn't do anything else but sit at home and try and cling on to the little hope that perhaps he  _did_  change the timeline, if not just a little. Perhaps the mess that had occurred in the White Fang's mission in the past wouldn't occur in this one?

 _._.. but what were the chances of that?

But … even if all were to stay the same, Sakumo wouldn't commit suicide this time again - not if Kakashi believed in him ...  _right_? Kakashi knew the first time around he'd been so conflicted, not knowing whether he should have trusted his father or the Shinobi Rules. He had leaned towards the Rules more because he'd thought that was the right thing to do, and heck, the whole village had thought that way too.

But no, not anymore. Sakumo told Kakashi himself that he would do the right thing no matter what anyone said, and this time, Kakashi was definitely going to support his dad with all he had, no matter the outcome of Sakumo's mission. This time, Kakashi knew he would happily approve all day long and then some as long as Sakumo stayed with him. And this time, it would all turn out fine.

_... but why wouldn't that fearful aching in his chest go away?_


	5. 21-25

 

 

 

_Chapter 21: Embrace_

**Two weeks later:**

The moment Sakumo entered the living room with his eyes downcast and clouded over with morosity, Kakashi knew it happened again.

Kakashi kept behind the bend of the corridor, observing, knowing the moment he appeared from around the corner, the man would've quickly hidden his expression from him. The White Fang looked defeated - probably got an earful from everyone the moment his team reported their mission as a failure.

"I suppose you heard about it too?" Sakumo spoke up abruptly, misery in his tone.

Kakashi was suddenly aware his dad was talking to him. The masked boy cursed lightly - he'd thought he'd hidden himself well enough - before slipping out from his spot. "Heard about what?" he asked innocently.

Grey eyes glanced over at him before they softened up. "Never mind," the man said, "I thought you-" Sakumo cut himself off, letting a smile wash off the depressed features on his face. He opened his arms wide. "Come give your old man a hug," He ordered playfully, pretending nothing had happened.

"Sure," Kakashi shrugged. He leaned into his dad's arms without another word. The sliver-haired boy closed his eyes in the embrace trying to enjoy it, but that only made it even easier for him to detect the small tremors that quavered through the man.

Kakashi kept his mouth shut behind his mask, determined not to ask any question nor comment about it.

"Let's go out to eat," Sakumo said suddenly, eagerly, still in the tight embrace.

Kakashi dropped his gaze, knowing what this was about. Kakashi fully knew Sakumo wanted to spend more time with him before the boy started to turn his back on the White Fang like his teammates, and soon, the rest of the village.

 _Don't you trust me_? Kakashi wanted to yell at the man. But he couldn't. Because Sakumo was an intelligent shinobi who'd guessed the future (one of the futures) precisely. Kakashi  _had_ abandoned his father once, so who was he to feel indignant at Sakumo's correct prediction? And even if that were not the case, there was still the problem that at this very moment Kakashi wasn't even supposed to know what had happened on Sakumo's mission yet.

So, instead, Kakashi smiled a loving smile, hoping that would calm his dad's nerves. "Sounds like a plan to me," he cheered enthusiastically, hoping to bring a genuine smile back on Sakumo's face.

His excited charm did its magic as stress lines relaxed on the White Fang's pinched, strained expression. "I love you, Kakashi," the man whispered softly, more to himself than his son, if anything.

Kakashi knew better than to just ignore it. "I love you too, dad," he responded.

Sakumo looked ready to cry.

 

 

 

**x**

While spending time with his father was absolutely a great idea, going _out_  to eat definitely was not. By the time dinner rolled around, the gossip/rumour mills of Konoha had already done their worst.

Kakashi - and no doubt Sakumo - could feel the disappointed gazes of the villagers the moment they set foot on the main road. Kakashi tried to keep his stare oblivious as he coolly pulled his dad along, acting as though they were late for their reservation. - Anything to get his father away from all the onlookers. There was nothing worse than to feel hostility from all those who Sakumo had dedicated his whole life protecting.

"Hurry up!" Kakashi urged in a whine, desperately trying to get all of Sakumo's attention on himself than anything around.

The boy earned a chuckle, and a hand ruffled through his silver hair for his efforts. "Eager, aren't you?" Sakumo teased.

Kakashi shrugged. "If you cooked better, I would be eager to eat your food too," he quipped back. Their childish bickering seemed to elevate Sakumo's mood. They continued this way until the Hatake duo eventually reached the restaurant.

"A reservation under Hatake for two," Sakumo announced to the hostess as soon as he entered.

A curious glint flickered in the woman's eyes even as she checked her book with a nod. "Yes, this way," the woman led. Having been sat beside fellow shinobi was probably the worst thing that happened that night. Especially beside ones who took their careers very seriously.

It was inevitable, honestly, that an argument would break out before their meal was over.

It started with the pair of shinobi at the table over glaring at them as the Hatake men tried to eat their meal in peace. Kakashi expertly ignored them, pretending to be ignorant to the whole thing. It honestly wasn't even all that different from a typical day of eating out, pretending to be unobservant of the people trying unsuccessfully to look under his mask. Sakumo had pretended the waitress put his meal too close to the right side of the table and moved his chair directly between the gazes of the shinobi and Kakashi.

For the next little while, nothing happened as both parties ate calmly. And then, Kakashi didn't doubt, the shinobi became enraged they were being ignored. When the sandaled foot launched forwards, kicking at the chair Sakumo was sitting on, neither Sakumo nor Kakashi could overlook them any longer as the older Hatake nearly fell backwards.

"Excuse me," Sakumo said, trying for polite, "I am trying to eat my meal with my son."

That was obviously not the right choice of words.

Chairs clattered on the floor as the men behind Sakumo stood up. Their faces were drunk flushed, and already Kakashi could tell it wasn't a good sign. "Oh,  _excuse us, oh-Legendary White Fang_. You were recommended to the client by the Fire Diamyo, and you think you can just fail your mission – disgrace our whole village – and then expect to come home and eat with your son like you've done nothing wrong?"

Sakumo's eyes flickered between the men and Kakashi before steeling, skin tightening around his eyes. "I am willing to discuss this at a later time. But for now, my son is present, and we are trying to eat in peace."

"You're nothing but a coward," one of the men hissed at the silver-haired Hatake.

The other one drew around to Kakashi with a plastered, toothy smirk on his face. "Do you know what your disgraceful old man did?"

Kakashi had tried to remain oblivious to the whole commotion, eating even while the argument went on. He figured his dad wouldn't want him involved anyways. But when the shinobi turned to him, he was a player in the game now, no matter how hard he tried to ignore them. The White Fang seemed to wilt, lose spirit, the moment the men got Kakashi involved in the whole affair. The men themselves looked vicious with their grins, knowing full well the distraught they were giving Sakumo in their plan of ruining his relationship with his son.

So, Kakashi gave an unamused "yes, in fact, I do" and suppressed his desire to hug his dad when the White Fang let in a strong, sharp intake of air. " _Now,_ can we get back to eating in peace?" he wondered dryly.

Shock left the shinobi's faces slower than it had come, but left all the same to be replaced by scorn. "And you're  _fine_  with it? The scum abandoned the mission, lost a prosperous client's trust, and disobeyed direct orders. He is a disgrace to all shinobi, breaking every rule we live by."

Fury lit in Kakashi's chest even as he desperately tried to keep it down and not do something he would regret. He took a deep breath as he closed his eyes. "Dad," he ordered, voice unusually stiff, "Can we call a waiter? I feel like eating at home now."

Sakumo nodded wordlessly, lifting a hand to flag down a waiter. The man's grey eyes, however, never left his fellow shinobi. He  _knew_ they would never hurt a civilian, a child no less, but aggravated, drunk shinobi were irrational shinobi.

The older Hatake was glad when their food was finally packed and paid, and they were free to walk away.

Kakashi gave him a soft smile before turning around one last time, catching the two shinobi's attention. "Look, if you want to die, that's alright with me, but the Rules are not set in stone." The boy let his eyes unfocus, remembering words his sensei had told him once; something that had taken Kakashi far too long to realise. "Sometimes you have to adapt to them."

 

 

 

**x**

Bags of take away in their hands, Sakumo was quiet as the two made their way back to the Compound. The older was cringing - discreetly, but cringing all the same - every time Kakashi looked over at him. "You worry too much," Kakashi finally said.

Sakumo shot his son an utterly forced smile before staring past the boy. "Who did you hear it from?" he asked. Kakashi knew he was talking about the details of the damned mission.

The boy gave a shrug, a quick bounce of his shoulders. "I'm observant," the silver-haired boy murmured, "and no one has been discreet about it."

Sakumo seemed to shrink a little at those words. "Since when?" the man shot out suddenly.

Since when had Kakashi known?  _Since forever, and then some;_ as if real life was not enough, the events even haunted Kakashi's dreams, especially as of late. "Are you trying to figure out if my behaviour towards you changed once I heard about it?" Kakashi deflected.

There was a pause. "Of course not." That was a lie.

Kakashi stared at his father's hunched form, his stomach rolling and tumbling in remembrance of what had once occurred. In a snap, Kakashi shot out his pale hand, clutching Sakumo around the waist for all it was worth. Lines Kakashi would call cheesy, but honestly he didn't care at the moment because they summed up everything he wanted to say so clearly, flooded out of the boy's mouth in a strong and faithfully sincere rush, "I don't care what you did. As long as you think it's right, I accept that. I don't care what anyone else thinks. As long as you're okay, I'm happy, so please, please stop thinking about it."

There was not a word more spoken between them, and the world was silent except for the gentle wind sweeping around them like a silk blanket, and the shaking of Sakumo's body as the older man stifled back building sobs. But that wasn't important to Kakashi and nor did he notice them, because all he cared about was the snaking of his father's hand around his back and the tightening hold around him, as Sakumo firmly hugged him back.

* * *

 

 

 

 

_Chapter 22: Human_

"Thanks for coming," Sakumo said as Jiraiya strolled through the Hatake Compound doors.

"No problem," he replied, "How are you?" The blazing sun overhead was just starting its journey downwards, but it still gave a sufficient amount of light to outline each strained crease pulled across the silver-haired man's face. The Sage could easily read his friend's last few months in each line.

Hands clenched into tight fists, Sakumo gave out a bitter laugh. "Could be better." He grimaced, "Could be a  _whole_  lot better. It's one of those things you wish would blow off in a few days, but ends up being months and months later before you know it, and still, things haven't changed."

"Ah, sorry for coming so late," Jiraiya apologised sincerely. He didn't want his friend to think that he'd abandoned him as well. It was a few months now since he'd heard what happened to his friend. His sensei had sent an urgent message to him requesting his return for his friend's sake, but he had duties to attend to first, lest his whole network fall apart, and couldn't make it back to Konoha until now no matter how much he rushed.

"No, I'm just glad you're here," Sakumo said with a soft, thanking smile.

The Sage returned the smile. "How are you?" Jiraiya asked once more, before the silence that was slowly creeping between the two of them could go on for any longer. It was an awkward question, considering the man obviously wasn't doing so well, but then again, Jiraiya didn't like how Sakumo deflected the question the first time around.

"Fine," Sakumo said, lying through his teeth. The Sage stared unamused at his friend who sighed suddenly. "Alright, I'm frustrated at the village," the man admitted.

Jiraiya made a sound from the back of his throat, urging the man to continue.

Sakumo lowered his face into his hands, closing his haunted eyes. "I had to choose between the mission or my teammates. It was a split-second decision, but thoughts just cascaded through my mind the moment I saw their faces staring at me. I forgot completely about the mission, because the moment I saw them - saw that they were going to die - I just kept thinking that they might've had kids, like me. As shinobi, we've signed up to die the moment we set foot in the Academy, but as parents we want the best future we can give our kids. I don't know how I would manage it, coming back to tell their kids their dads died on the mission when I could've easily saved them." The silver-haired man choked back a sob. "I know I wouldn't want that to happen to Kakashi - I want him to live a happy life with no regrets."

Jiraiya nodded solemnly, "The thing about being a Shinobi and being Human is that sometimes you can't be both. It just doesn't work." The older man shrugged helplessly, "No matter how much you wish it did."

Sakumo laughed suddenly, if only just to make a sound, rather than meaning it. "Sometimes I think I'm rather happy Kakashi decided not be a ninja in the end."

"Yeah?"

"He won't need to make decisions like these ones, where it's a loss no matter which choice I make." Sakumo explained, barely hearing Jiraiya's comment.

The Sage studied his friend carefully. "You look more sad than relieved right now."

"Am I?" the Jounin asked. Sakumo gave a bitter chuckle as he stared off to the distance. "Yeah, sometimes I wish Kakashi didn't though, so he could defend himself from these scorning villagers should they ever try anything." The man glanced down at this gloved hands, looking lost. "Why is Kakashi being hurt for something I did? Why do they have to involve him too? It was my mistake, so yell at me, hate me, despise  _me_. Don't start hating my son too."

Deep silence filled the room as the two men sat by each other, no words helpful for such a situation.

Jiraiya suddenly sighed, running a hand through his long white hair. "I don't know," he admitted weakly. He shifted his gaze to the door at approximately where Kakashi's room was located. "How is Kakashi?" the Sage asked instead.

It was Sakumo's turn to shrug as he said, "I don't know." Sakumo shook his head. "It looks like he's dealing with it fine, but sometimes you can't tell with Kakashi."

"He doesn't … hate you for what you did, does he?" Jiraiya asked carefully. "Even from peer pressure?"

Sakumo barked out a laugh before he could help it. "No. In fact, he told me clearly, 'I don't care what anyone else thinks. As long as you're okay, I'm happy'," the silver-haired father recited. His face drifted off to a happier expression, happier than he'd ever been the whole day.

"Good kid," Jiraiya said warmly.

"Yeah," Sakumo agreed. There was another silent pause before Sakumo looked up at Jiraiya. "To be honest, I feel like Kakashi knew what was going to happen and tried to warn me," he confessed with a nervous laugh, feeling a bit ridiculous for admitting it.

The Toad Sage looked surprised. "What do you mean? How?"

Shrugging his shoulder, the Jounin leaned back on his chair, shooting a glance into their Hatake state garden, trying to recall what happened there. "Before I had my mission, Kakashi asked me a confusing question," Sakumo said slowly, trying to come up with the proper words, "'If you had a choice in doing what was required of you, and what was right, which would you choose?'" he quoted softly. "Even if I was hated by everyone afterwards."

There was silence as the men digested the words, before Jiraiya looked up, eyebrows pressed into a frown. "What did he mean by that?"

Sakumo shook his head. "I don't know." He glanced over at Jiraiya, head still shaking in confusion. "Kakashi asked me that just before I left. And his eyes … I swear I saw fear in them before … before his face suddenly blanked. And if anything, I think his question describes my situation now perfectly – like he knew it would happen beforehand."

"It can't be true," Jiraiya protested at the illogicality of the idea.

Sakumo chuckled lowly. "Yeah, I know. I'm thinking too much about the smallest things nowadays," he said, disappointed at himself. "I know it can't be true, but it's nice to think about," Sakumo admitted, "to know that my actions weren't done on pure impulse. Even if I had time to sit down and think about the answer, my conclusion would still be the same – do the right thing."

Jiraiya gave a dip of his head before tilting it off to the side. "Well, you know some people would argue that finishing the mission is the 'right' thing," The Sage argued just for the sake of arguing. Onyx eyes observed the White Fang's response.

Sakumo merely nodded knowingly. "So I've been hearing," he said. The man offered a small smile, "but I think saving a comrade, a fellow man's life, is a lot more important than a single mission. Mission can always be redone. The dead cannot be revived."

Jiraiya nodded solemnly. "You did what any sane human would do. I would've done the same."

The smile on Sakumo's lips stretched a bit more naturally at his friend's words. "Hey, thanks for letting me rant out at you like this," he said softly.

Jiraiya shrugged, "No problem, Sakumo. I'm surprised you called me though – or rather, asked sensei to call me. Don't you usually like to get through things like this on your own?"

The silver-haired man tipped his head forwards, almost like he was embarrassed. "I was going to; I didn't want to bother you with my problems," the Jounin admitted in a quiet murmur, "But then Kakashi stepped in and told me I was being stupid. He practically ordered me to ask the Hokage to call you back to Konoha. Told me I couldn't deal with everything myself, and if I didn't call you, he would," Sakumo recalled fondly, lovingly.

"Smart kid," The Sage commented. "I'm always here to listen to you."

Jiraiya was glad for rushing back as he did, as he watched his friend's face relax into an expression the Sage thought was much more suited for Sakumo than the stressed form it had been pinched in the whole day. "Thank you, Jiraiya. That means a lot," Sakumo replied. "I wish I could do more for Kakashi, though."

There was a slight tilt to the Sage's head, white hair spilling over his shoulders. "Kakashi's fine, right?" the older man confirmed.

Sakumo nodded hesitantly. "Yes, but being by me, getting scorned for something he didn't do, isn't healthy for a boy like him." A weak smile bloomed on the man's face, "And he just won't leave me alone. It's like he thinks something is going to happen to me the moment he leaves." He let out a chuckle. "Aren't  _I_  supposed to be the protective father?"

Jiraiya grinned faintly with his friend. "That's Kakashi for you," he said jokingly. But he  _did_  see what Sakumo was talking about; a young boy should not have disgusted insults and glares thrown at him, especially when he'd done nothing wrong. "I'll see how long I can stay. If I stretch it, I can probably stay here for a month at the very most." Jiraiya said. Sakumo wasn't the only one who cared for the kid, after all.

Sakumo was never more thankful for his friend.

* * *

 

 

 

_Chapter 23: Uncle_

"So why are you here?" Kakashi muttered, clearly unamused, as he was pulled along by a white-haired man. Kakashi had glared at him the whole time, the moment Jiraiya pounced into his room unannounced, pulled the boy out of bed, and proceeded to pull him out of the house. The man never lost his smug grin the whole way.

The Toad Sage raised an eyebrow. "I was under the impression  _you_  were the one who convinced your old man to call me up."

Jiraiya smirked as Kakashi's eyes flickered with what he could only call annoyance, as the boy crossed his arms with a huff. "True, but that doesn't mean you can intrude with my family time."

Jiraiya mocked an anguished cry. "Don't I count as family?" he whined, playfully barking out a laugh, trying to bring a smile on the six-year-old's face. Kakashi was quite unmoved by the whole thing. "Oh come on, lighten up a little, won't you?"

"I was going to spend the day with my father, not you."

"Don't you love your favourite Uncle anymore?" Jiraiya joked. Kakashi seemed to be in the mood of ignoring him, and that was rather odd. Sure the boy had previously shown mild aversion to him before, especially when he was younger and Jiraiya refused to teach him advanced shinobi arts that Sakumo had disapproved of, but nowadays Kakashi was more frequent to politely tuning him out; not blatantly showing open hostility like this. And Jiraiya didn't miss how every sentence Kakashi spoke to him had to do with his father. Was Sakumo's vilification really affecting Kakashi as bad as the father had been fearing it was?

The Toad Sage let the humour drain from his face, allowing it to drop back to seriousness. "If you want me to leave so badly, why did you call me in the first place?" he asked, slowly digging for the answer he was looking for.

The boy's eyes flickered over to the older man for a second. "I didn't."

The Jiraiya rolled his eyes. "No, but I heard about your part in convincing Sensei to call me back," he countered.

Kakashi stared back at Jiraiya before at last giving a small shrug of his shoulders. "Fine, maybe I did," Kakashi agreed, with an idle wave of his hand, "but I don't need you here. I called you for dad." The silver-haired boy gave him a pointed look as if saying that Sakumo wasn't with them, so why was he still here?

Jiraiya ignored the look. "Just for your old man?" he asked, giving his voice a curious tilt. He lowered his tone to a gentler lull. "Surely you need someone as well."

Jiraiya watched as the kid's steps slowed down from the pace he was walking in, lips seemingly pressed tight behind his navy-blue mask. "Dad needs someone to talk to about this whole thing," Kakashi finally said, softly, eyes suddenly drawn into a distant look. "He can't keep everything inside.  _He can't_." There was a pause before the boy shook his head, shedding the emotion quicker than Jiraiya could figure out how to comfort the suddenly solemn boy. " _He_  needs you, not me. I'm fine. I have dad. As long as I have dad, I'm fine."

The Toad Sage held his gaze on the short six-year-old, wondering if they boy knew his grey-blue eyes were still echoing the haunted pain that he'd not been able to fully dismiss. That was not the look of someone "fine". Kakashi needed him just as much as his father.

"Did my dad ask you to do this?" Kakashi suddenly asked, eye lightening up like he just realised that possibility. His grey-blue eyes flickered over and bore on Jiraiya's dark ones, daring the man to lie to him.

"Nah, I just thought it would be fun to steal you from under your dad's nose and teach you about the heavenly goodness your dad hesitates to tell you about." He paused, cupping his hands in front of his chest. "The  _boing boing,"_ Jiraiya leered, winking suggestively. Even as he said that as lecherously as he could, Kakashi gave him a deadpanned look.

"Oh fine, your dad asked me to take you out," The Toad Sage conceded with a sulking sigh. "He was afraid of you being put in so much pressure being by his side." The older man watched as a veil of emotions clouded under tight grey-blue eyes before they were shook off with a scowl.

"He doesn't need to."

Jiraiya shook his head, flopping a hand on the boy's unruly silver-hair. "Kid, act your cute age once in a while, won't you? Let your dad pamper you in his over-protective love." The fact that Jiraiya himself completely agreed with Sakumo's decision wasn't to be said. No, the Toad Sage knew the knowledge of Sakumo's love towards Kakashi meant more to the boy than anything else.

Kakashi's scowl turned more into a sulk as the six-year-old hunched his shoulder, looking almost sheepish. "He worries too much," the boy muttered under his breath.

"And that's the way parents are," Jiraiya chuckled. With a hand, he gestured down the road. "Shall we?" he asked.

"I still prefer to go with dad than with you," Kakashi muttered yet again, this time his expression definitely more of a pout than anything else.

"Too bad!" the older man crooned, pulling the boy to the hem of his red vest, laying his arm around Kakashi's shoulder. "You're stuck with me  _all day."_

"Joy."

Jiraiya let out another bark of a laugh at Kakashi's utterly unenthusiastic tone. He grabbed the boy into a playful headlock, refusing to let the boy go even as Kakashi tried to pull away. Under his spirited taunting, Jiraiya never let his guard down, half an eye kept on the shinobi and villagers they passed. He openly let his gaze linger warningly on them every time he managed to distract Kakashi, lest the boy start complaining how overly-protective  _he_  was as well.

In the beginning, Kakashi struggled viciously, disliking being held on to and manhandled like the six-year-old he was supposed to be. But gradually the boy let Jiraiya lead him around Konoha, a large, warm hand on Kakashi's shoulder the whole way.

The Toad Sage inwardly chuckled at the Hatake's obedience, but another half of him – the half that knew and had witnessed the young prodigy's skills – knew Kakashi likely realised what was going on. Because he honestly doubted Kakashi had missed him glaring at the passersbys the whole way. Nor would Kakashi not realise why his whole protective-Uncle-behaviour knob was switched to extra high.

He was practically challenging everyone around to dare harm his beloved "nephew" in a way even the civilian villagers would understand, complete lack of subterfuge and all.  _Of course_ Kakashi would see it.

Jiraiya was just surprised Kakashi didn't call him out on it - but perhaps Kakashi  _did_  feel comforted and protected by his presence like he had hoped, but was too embarrassed and shy to verbally acknowledge it. ...an Uncle had the creative licence to imagine his nephew to be profusely cuter than he really was, didn't he?

* * *

 

 

 

 

_Chapter 24: Regret_

True to the Sage's words to Sakumo, the man had actually managed to clear his schedule for the duration of the month.

Jiraiya's constant presence around Kakashi, despite his preference that Jiraiya stayed by his father's side instead, was comforting in the unfriendly village. If Kakashi was to be honest to himself, life in Konoha was unusually hostile.

These days, as he walked through the village, Kakashi had to consciously suppress his instinct to react to all the stares he received. It wasn't like Kakashi had never been stared disgustedly at before, and he'd plenty of practicing ignoring people doing such things - he did, after all, voluntarily walk through Konoha every day with vibrant erotic novels stuck to his face (well, in the future, at least). And not that it was particularly horrible, but compared to the past he remembered, the treatment he was receiving now was unusually worse than before.

But no matter how much more antagonistic the villagers were, Jiraiya, who Kakashi swore was gradually getting as overly-protective as Sakumo, kept the harassing and heckling to a minimum with well-placed glares. Kakashi hadn't said anything to the Sage, but he was thankful for what Jiraiya was doing - even though the village’s comparatively increased rage towards Kakashi was his own fault.

It was simple once he thought about it, why this time around people seemed to pull Kakashi into Sakumo's mistake more than they had in the other past.

Last time, he was the (known) prodigal Kakashi, destined to become one of the strongest shinobi of Konoha. People feared him, skirted around him, and tried not incur his wrath. Everyone knew his strength, and could already predict his prowess in the future. Plus he hadn't openly supported his father either.

This time around, Kakashi had forgone his chance to be shinobi, and no one knew his dangerous potential. He was now only civilian Kakashi, son of the disgrace of Konoha. A weak, juvenile youngster who was probably never destined to be any better than his father. Basically, he was a nobody (and oh how wrong they were).

But Kakashi knew better than to let it get to him; he really couldn't have cared less how the village saw him. It was only those  _special_  precious people whose opinion he cared about. But Jiraiya's gesture was touching, and helped reinforce the knowledge of what a great man the Legendary Sanin was. Plus, likely, it gave Sakumo a great deal of peace of mind.

 

**x**

That evening, Kakashi walked down the street with his father, groceries in hand. They were out buying ingredients for dinner. A dinner they were going to have with Jiraiya before the man left for his duties outside of Konoha the very next day – like that, a month had quickly passed without Kakashi noticing.

What Kakashi  _did_  notice, was that Sakumo was getting better. It would be a lie if Kakashi said Sakumo didn't look stressed, because the older Hatake  _was_ , but this current man was nothing like the depressed, hunched figure who'd practically given up on life that Kakashi remembered from his past memories. Physically, Sakumo looked like he'd aged a few more years, and he had a pale, tired air around him which he never had before the whole failed mission business began. Mentally, however, Kakashi couldn't be sure. Sakumo was as protective as always, and he'd given no inclination he was suicidal to any degree, but Sakumo was a ninja - who knew what thoughts he was keeping locked up inside that he was reluctant to share with either Jiraiya or his own son?

"You alright, Kakashi?" Sakumo asked as he gently gave the boy a guiding push from behind.

Kakashi pretended he didn't see Sakumo blocking him from the view of a particularly fierce looking man glaring at their direction. "I told you, it doesn't bother me," Kakashi told his dad sincerely, "And honestly, you think I'm not used to it by now?"

Sakumo frowned at those words. "It's not something I want you to get used to."

Kakashi shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me, so stop looking so worried," he lectured his dad.

The older Hatake pulled up a smile at his son's words, giving the boy a chuckle. "Yes'sir," he grinned out in a mock salute.

Kakashi rolled his eyes, but a small smile worked its way onto his lips at his father's playful actions. "Come on, soldier, to the Compound," the masked boy ordered. He heard his father snort at him, but Sakumo winked and gave him another salute when Kakashi looked over.

"Yes'sir," Sakumo laughed again. He gave Kakashi a soft push from behind, getting the boy to pick up his pace. "Let's hurry. We still have a dinner to start making."

Kakashi nodded, tugging his dad's hands and pulling the man along as he quickened his pace significantly. "Let's go," Kakashi cried.

The moment the two of them reached the wall of the Hatake Compound, Sakumo slapped his hands on the wall, grinning at his son. "Record time," The older man declared happily looking down at Kakashi. The masked boy grinned back lovingly at him. The two of them stopped in front of the compound door, the entrance littered with garbage and graffiti. Had it only been a few months ago, when Sakumo didn't have to worry about people angrily defacing his property in response to that damned mission? Sakumo found his eyes wandering over to his son, wondering how he was feeling about this. Kakashi barely took note of it all, his adoring smile still directed towards Sakumo in an unwavering stretch.

Sakumo couldn't help but stare at Kakashi, feeling almost unable to understand how he had such a perfect son who didn't blame him for anything. He really was so perfect, and that knowledge helped nothing but cause Sakumo's chest to further tighten guiltily, seeing others scorning his precious son along with him.

Sakumo looked down on the ground. The older Hatake tried to ignore the litter as he had the previous months. But for some reason, he just couldn't today. The angry scrawls on the wall seemed to glow on their once pristine white walls. The garbage on the ground seemed to double every look he took, completely filling up the whole front way. Sakumo was a grown man, Jounin and all; he could handle this. But Kakashi on the other hand, why did his six-year-old have to suffer from this too?

Small hands tugged at his sleeves. "Come on, Dad. Let's go inside," Kakashi said, looking up at him. His eyes were wide with concern.

Sakumo tried to focus solely on his son, but all he could see was Kakashi, his innocent little baby, standing in front of a disgrace's house. Kakashi was a wonderful boy; he shouldn't have to wade through trash every day to get home. He shouldn't have to suffer through jeers of people disappointed at Sakumo. Kakashi shouldn't have to be the shadow of Sakumo – goddamnit, Kakashi was his own man!

Kakashi was the  _perfect_  little boy any father could ask for. Even after everyone told him of his father's disgraceful deeds, the boy just smile and stayed by him. And yet because Kakashi was his son, no one around was able to look past the shameful being that was the father was and see the amazing boy Kakashi was.

It wasn't fair.

"Dad?" a voice murmured hesitantly through Sakumo's hazy mind. "Dad?"

Sakumo lifted his head towards the sound. "Kakashi, can you go find Jiraiya for me?" The older man asked gently, detached, as he stared sadly over his son's shoulders.

Even with his distanced gaze, Sakumo could feel Kakashi freezing momentarily at his tone. "Da-"

"Please?" Sakumo interrupted, his lips pressed into a weak smile, and voice taking up an almost begging curl.

"Maybe we should just call the dinner off," Kakashi retorted.

The boy's blue-grey eyes washed over Sakumo, trying hard to decipher his dad's actions, but Sakumo didn't give him a chance. The older man ruffled the boy's hair and pressed his lips gently on his son's forehead. "Oh, just go already." He gave Kakashi a gentle nudge past the Hatake Compound door, ignoring Kakashi's playful mock whine at the sign of affecting in public and how the boy's eyes never lost its concerned glimmer of uncertainty. Sakumo watched as Kakashi walked off, throwing worried glances backwards ever other step.

Sakumo clenched his gloved hands into tight fists by his sides.

Why couldn't everyone else look past Sakumo's actions and just see Kakashi as Kakashi, the wonderful, amazing boy; not Kakashi, the disgrace's son? Kakashi would be incredible in the future, and Sakumo knew it. But as long as Sakumo's actions were always there, shadowing the boy, no one would ever know; no one would ever find out.

Sakumo watched as Kakashi walked, his spiked silver hair shimmering as the sun reflected off it, and his posture straight and proud, despite how everyone treated him.

His heart glowed with love at his son's actions. Sakumo knew Kakashi was a special boy, and he knew he would regret it if no one else knew this too. Kakashi didn't deserve to be treated the way he was now. Not now, not  _ever_.

Everything that was hurting his son was all his fault. Sakumo gritted his teeth angrily at himself, ashamed at all he'd cause. Kakashi refused to say anything about it, but Jiraiya had told him; Jiraiya had probably not meant to, only half-conscious of the things he was saying, with the headache that was Sakumo constantly hounding and nagging him insistently to report how he thought Kakashi was doing. It was likely unintentional, but that didn't make what he said any less true. Jiraiya had mentioned about the dark, anguished look that had filled his little boy's face, and the utter  _regret_  that had drowned the boy's expression the few times the Sage tried to approach to boy about the topic of Sakumo.

Sakumo hated himself for doing this to Kakashi, and he hated how wholly selfless his son was, grinning and baring the whole situation without complaint while continuously pretending nothing was affecting him when it clearly was. Sakumo hated himself even more for not noticing the magnitude Kakashi had been distressed by from his fellow villagers.

But worse of all, he hated that last thing Jiraiya had let slip.  _Regret_ , Jiraiya had said.  _Regret._ There were so many things that Kakashi could possibly feel regret about, but none of them were any better than the next, and everything was Sakumo's fault.

Sakumo stared one last longing gaze towards where his son had walked off to before turning around and reaching for the Compound doors. Sakumo would do anything for Kakashi, his sweet baby boy, as long as Kakashi stopped suffering. This, he knew without a doubt.

Sakumo's hand tightened as he twisted the handle of the door. His dark, grey eyes  _glowed_  with a sudden renewed determination. He would do  _anything_ ; that was a fact.  _Anything._

* * *

 

 

 

_Chapter 25: Helpless_

_**(A/n: Trigger Warning for blood and the mortality of life. Please proceed with caution)**  
_

Kakashi's chest was starting to hurt. Everything inside was squirming uncomfortably at that indescribable expression he'd seen split-second on his father's face before the man urged him away. Kakashi hadn't wanted to leave Sakumo, but the man had practically been pleading him to go, and how could he disobey his father when he was asking in a tone like that?

Kakashi hopped onto the rooftops, sending chakra towards his legs in a constant, steady stream as he kicked off the sides of the walls to speed up his search. In any other circumstances, Kakashi knew better than to show the world too much of his unaccountable skills, but all the silver-haired boy wanted at this moment was to get the task over with as soon as possible so he could get back to Sakumo to see how his father was doing.

Sakumo's behaviour scared Kakashi. But Kakashi wasn't certain if he was only overreacting due to the coincidence of Sakumo's expression then in association to Kakashi's worry on Sakumo's physical and mental health just earlier that morning. …surely nothing dire was going to happen, right? After all, he'd pass Sakumo's original death day by practically a month now, thanks to pulling Jiraiya into the picture. Unlike last time, Sakumo didn't have to suffer alone – he had both Jiraiya and Kakashi himself on his side, and Kakashi was more than open with his acceptance of Sakumo this time around.

During the previous months, and even early that morning, Kakashi had felt himself cheering up, slowly letting himself believe that he'd changed Sakumo's future. Sakumo didn't look all that bad. Relatively speaking, he looked fine. But the moment the two of them reached the Hatake Compound, the White Fang suddenly seemed to lose himself in a world of his own. Kakashi could see there was something troubling Sakumo's mind, but Kakashi wasn't sure what it was. Kakashi couldn't even tell what was the catalyst of Sakumo's sudden decline in mood; they were away from the villagers at that time so it couldn't have been anything said to him, and the Compound looked just as it had been lately and Sakumo hadn't been upset about it before. All Kakashi could think of doing was calling out for his father, desperate to wrap his arms around the man and to pull him back in to reality before he could sink away any lower. But Sakumo only brushed off Kakashi's concern for nonsense and gave Kakashi a distracted smile in response.

It told the unfocused state of Sakumo's mind when the man sent Kakashi out to find Jiraiya on his own. Sakumo knew better than to ask a six-year-old,  _his_  six-year-old particularly, to go fetch a man known to frequent brothels and spy on hot springs.

Kakashi didn't know what had taken up and ate away at Sakumo's mind, but doing what pleased Sakumo instead of refusing and stubbornly challenging the man's order, seemed like the more infallible course of action. Besides, if the matter that had been bothering Sakumo really was complicated enough for it to slip his mind that sending Kakashi to find Jiraiya was not such a good idea, surely the man had just wanted some quiet time on his own to sort out the problem … right?

And if it wasn't … Then, well, Kakashi didn't know what was going on, but he  _did_  know Sakumo wanted Jiraiya, and that was what Kakashi was going to give him.

And so, here Kakashi was, running across rooftops with his eyes set on his task. Internally, he was pushing his fears away because he knew that dwelling on them would only draw him deeper and deeper into despair. And even as he was doing this, unconsciously, Kakashi drew a protective blanket around himself, composed continuously of words he was chanting in the back of his mind where he tried not to think too hard about it. Because at this time, the only thing that kept him from illogically disobeying his father's request was the idea that there _had_  to be a reason why Sakumo wanted Jiraiya, and if he did as his father asked, all would be fine, fine, fine.

The sooner he found Jiraiya, the sooner he could get back to his dad, and the sooner he could shed this unreasonable and unnecessary paranoia from flooding his chest. And all would be fine, fine,  _fine._

 

 

 

**x**

The sun was glowing orange and dipping off the face of the earth by the time Kakashi finally dropped to the ground with a sigh on his lips. He'd ran across the village in speed and persistence that could rival on of Gai's self-imposed challenges, but to no avail. The white-haired Sage was nowhere to be found.

Kakashi was ready to give up. He'd been ready for quite a while now, but in a moment of insight, he'd decided to swing by the Village Gates, figuring one last try before calling it a day and reporting back to his father. The Chuunin assigned to gate duty barely gave him a glance as he approached.

Kakashi slipped in front of the man. "Has Jiraiya-sama left the village?" the boy asked, getting straight to the point.

The Chuunin glanced up, studying the silver-haired boy intently, before shuffling through his papers. "Hatake, right?" the man asked rhetorically as he fished out a sheet. "Jiraiya had asked for me to relay a message to you that he apologises for leaving so suddenly, but a matter turned up that he had to attend to immediately."

Kakashi frowned, "When was this?"

"This morning."

 _This morning?_  What had he been running around all this time for? For an idle second Kakashi wondered if the Chuunin was asked to deliver the message directly to them but had _conveniently_  forgotten, or Jiraiya had expected the Hatakes to go and ask the Gate watchers themselves when the Sage didn't turn up for dinner.

He pushed the thought out of his mind not a second later. Whatever the case was, Kakashi didn't care anymore because now he was free to head home and tell his father in complete truthfulness on just how hard he had tried to fulfill his request.

Leaving the Chuunin with a half-hearted "Thanks," Kakashi quickly turned around back towards the village, making his way home. Jiraiya's ever-fleeting habits were annoying (even more so in the future when he'd nonchalantly left his godson on his own, leaving Naruto alone without knowing he had family who cared for him), and Kakashi made a mental note to discuss about the Toad Sage's horrible manners with his father. Because if anything, talking about Jiraiya's bad habits would cheer Sakumo up; the two older men were too great of friends to seriously get angry at each other, and their disapproval of each other always ended up in ridiculously immature bickering and ranting that always brought a grin on their lips.

Plus, they were fun to watch.

Dropping down in front of the Hatake Compound, Kakashi brushed aside the garbage littered around his front door mindlessly. "I'm home," Kakashi announced, removing his sandals as he entered his home.

No one answered him. Kakashi froze a little, feeling something cold and frightened desperately trying to claw its way up inside his chest. Kakashi shuffled softly into the dim kitchen, suddenly feeling too hyperaware of just how quiet the house was.

Panic flitted though him as his past suddenly rammed into his mind. Was his dad-  _NO!_ Kakashi clenched his gloved hands tight, trying to shake away his thoughts and shove back down the burst of feelings yearning to make itself known.

_No, no, NO!_

It was months past the date Sakumo had originally performed seppuku. He'd past it; it was safe _._  Kakashi felt like he was desperately trying to convince himself of flimsy, half-wilted lies, but Kakashi refused to believe anything else, because it was months over now.  _It was over._ There was no way Sakumo would.  _No way …_

 

 

And then the scent of blood hit him.

Logic rushed out of Kakashi's mind as the boy rushed to follow the wafting odour filling his house, the echoing of his footsteps unprofessionally slapping against the wooden floor as he ran. He ran through the Compound, slamming doors open until he reached that oh-so familiar traditional sliding door.

Kakashi had known where to go even before the smell prompted him towards these doors, but upon reaching it, he couldn't do anything; his fingers trembled, unable to pull the doors aside. For the longest time, Kakashi could only stand outside breathing in the coppery stench, hands frozen unsteadily in front of him. Kakashi didn't want to open that door and  _see_  because that would mean he would have to acknowledge and accept the idea that his father truly  _had once again_ …  _no!_  All Kakashi wanted was to delude himself a little bit longer that Sakumo  _wasn't_  lying in a pool of blood in there, with a blade protruding out of his stomach; in his mind, he wanted to keep the delusion that Sakumo was still alive for as long as possible.

But even so, stalling for time was useless because Kakashi didn't need to open the door to see what there was to see. The pictures were already flashing through his mind like a film without sound, carved into his mind from the sight of another six-year-old's shaky and blurring blue-grey eyes.

Kakashi didn't want to go into this room. Kakashi hated this room; he'd avoided it all he could since his arrival back. But he couldn't avoid it now. Why did this have to happen again?

He tried to change things, he really did. So why did everything still remain the same? Why hadn't things changed at all?  _Why was his father still dead?_

Kakashi's pale gloved hand, on its own accord, stretched reluctantly towards the door. His movements were slow and hesitant, and his mind was still on a continuous loop of nothing but denials, even as the stench of blood fully assaulted him and overtook all his other senses. Glassy eyes stared unseeing into the room, as ghost images of the past slide into place and merged with the present like a mocking, morbid game of memory.

_Nothing changed at all._

Kakashi crouched onto the tatami mat beside his father, numb to his fingertips. His body was moving on its own now; Kakashi wasn't even sure  _when_  he'd gotten from the door to his father's side. Unconsciously the boy wiped the blood off his father's face where it had splattered upwards. The man looked almost…  _peaceful_  lying there. Peaceful, cold, and  _dead._

Kakashi didn't want to believe it, but assaulted by the truth lying gruesomely in front of him, there was no room for further denial. Kakashi sunk onto his knees, feeling helpless; he'd done nothing to change the future despite knowing exactly what was going to happen. It hurt – his chest was really hurting, and his heart felt like it was being wrenched out. His eyes stung.

 _Why?_  Why did this happen again? He'd tried so hard to change what he could, but it seemed his father's fate was inevitable. What was he here for, then? Why was he here if he was so hopeless, so helpless?

What did the world expect him to do when the future was forever set in stone, and change was only a delusional fool’s fantasy?

Tears rolled down Kakashi's cheeks, sliding down the curve of his face, joining his father's blood on the tatami floor. Kakashi breathing hitched as the boy hiccupped, tears streaming down his face, hands trembling as he reached out to his father again. He ignored the blood coating his hands, trying to hold on to his father for one last time.

 _Was it even_ possible _to change the future?_

It was more of a silent plead for something, someone to prove him wrong, more than anything else, but there was no one there who could answer the despairing six-year-old. There was no one in the Compound but him and his father, and his father was lying cold and lifeless in his arms, threatening to taint Kakashi's hands forever in red.

Kakashi wasn't sure how long he'd stayed in that position for, but that was how the Anbu found little Kakashi when they came looking for Sakumo later that day. He hadn't moved an inch.


	6. PART 2: 26-30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I would include this tiny little excerpt from Wiki for those who didn't know: "The main point of [seppuku] was to restore or protect one's honor as a warrior […]"  
> Admittedly, there're some facts missing; I believe there was also something about getting permission, or doing it in front of other or something along those lines, but I was only really concerned about the meaning associated with seppuku than anything else.

 

_PART TWO  
Chapter 26: Hindsight_

Life was a cruel thing. Kakashi tried all he could, but sometimes it felt like his best wasn't enough. He was living a life full of failures after failures. He'd failed his father the first time around, and Obito, Rin, and Minato as well. He'd failed with properly teaching his children Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke, and everyone in between, causing them to turn to others for their training, may it be godfathers or criminals. And now in a second chance with his father, he'd failed once more.

It was a devastating turn of events, this, because Kakashi had truly filled his heart with hope that he'd actually saved his father – only to have the optimistic idea crumbling down on him like flimsy plastered walls.

It had originally occurred to Kakashi that perhaps were he to stay civilian, not only would he get to spend more time with his father, but it would also encourage Sakumo not to commit suicide since he'd have a little, dependent son to care for. A little, dependent son who'd previously verbally expressed to him that he honestly cared for his dear father's wellbeing.

In hindsight, perhaps acting so precious wasn't such a good idea after all. It had the complete opposite result.

Thinking about it again, Kakashi considered that perhaps Sakumo might have been even more resolute on performing seppuku this time around. With little Kakashi as a civilian, Sakumo only had a greater determination to go through with it; the man couldn't bear the idea that his only son would be discriminate against – or hell – assaulted by others just because of what his old man had done. If his son wanted to stay a civilian, Sakumo would let him, and make sure the reason why anyone would want to hurt Kakashi didn't exist anymore. Genius or not, Kakashi didn't have the training to deal with actual ninjas if they stupidly tried anything while Sakumo was not present.

Showing the village that he understood the shame he had brought to the village by committing seppuku, Sakumo knew he could manage to restore some honor back to the Hatake name, and his son who was associated with that name.

Sakumo was willing to atone to the whole village for his actions, all for Kakashi's sake. Kakashi's caring, unselfish act only made Sakumo more certain he had to save the Hatake name. Not for himself, but his precious son who still had years and years more to live through in Konoha – and Sakumo desperately didn't want his son to send the rest of his life burdening Sakumo's failure.

Now that the dreadfully gruesome final result had laid there for him to see, looking back, Kakashi felt like there had been so many things that he'd mistaken or could've done differently. Kakashi wondered if the unplanned exposure of the unknown 'scarfed ninja' to Sakumo might have also played a role in the seppuku, even though that unknown ninja business seemed like ages ago by now. Kakashi _had_ taken note of the event, but he'd only assumed that it would strengthen Sakumo's resolution to stay by him to protect him. But given the conclusion, perhaps Kakashi had been wrong? Sakumo was strong enough on his own, but he was not omnipresent; the strength and eyes of the whole village was far more efficient and superior than of just a single man. Perhaps Sakumo had considered that should the scarfed ninja take interest in Kakashi like Sakumo had feared, if Sakumo repented his fault, the village, no matter how grudgingly, would protect Kakashi. Perhaps Sakumo had feared that if he hadn't done so and the scarfed ninja attacked, the village would ignore the trouble Kakashi would be in because of their anger and resentment towards the Hatake clan, incited by what seemed like arrogant behaviour from Sakumo because Sakumo had brushed off the huge shame he brought to the village like he hadn't done anything wrong.

Kakashi could never be sure what his father had truly thought because the man wasn't here anymore. But Kakashi knew without a doubt that to save his son, from being ostracized by the village, Sakumo would (and did) happily throw his life away. _Anything,_ as long as Kakashi would have a better life from then on. – That was the type of loving man Sakumo was.

And perhaps, if Kakashi noted the logic was not completely sound on all levels – especially since he'd actually told Sakumo he cared for nothing but his father by his side – Kakashi should've recalled that Sakumo wasn't in the best state of mind at the time when he'd told him that. There were bombs and bombs of shocking revolutions that preceded Kakashi's cheesy little speech that Sakumo's mind was likely still reeling from. And maybe Sakumo hadn't fully realised that Kakashi had actually meant every single sentence of his plead, and they weren't merely words of comfort from a desperate six-year-old.

And even had Sakumo completely understood what his son was telling him, Kakashi supposed he should've realised what drastic measure a protective father would take – in particular one who's mentality was unaccounted for at that time, but from what Kakashi could only assume now, had still been slowly weakening over time. Jiraiya and Kakashi's loyalty to Sakumo could only do so much for Sakumo's emotional state in a village full of hatred – especially when once upon a time Sakumo had valued them all as his close family and friends.

Kakashi _had_ noticed Sakumo's vulnerable mentality, but he'd never assumed up until now it was actually so bad; he hadn't realised Sakumo had been locking up so much, even with Jiraiya by his side. The man had living in a swirling vile mixture of lost sleep, guilt, and paranoia. Everyone and everything was eating away at Sakumo, except for the constant fact that he needed to protect Kakashi – which may or may not have been made even more important to his list of priorities by Kakashi's precious declarations – and so that was what Sakumo eventually only focused on. This which ultimately lead to seppuku.

Kakashi had miscalculated. Horribly.

At least this time, Sakumo had tried to avoid traumatising Kakashi – he really did! If Kakashi actually managed to find Jiraiya like Sakumo had intended him to, Sakumo likely thought Jiraiya would note something odd and find his body before Kakashi would. Heck, he probably thought Jiraiya would comfort Kakashi as his honorary-uncle, and would be or would find a suitable guardian for Kakashi. But Jiriaya, the ever-fleeting man that he was, hadn't known of Sakumo's plans, and left before either of the Hatake knew.

And now Kakashi was alone, the fate that his father had succumbed to fresh in his mind once more. _His dad was dead again._

While, in Kakashi's opinion, _that_ was the most important problem, the village Head and Elders had other matters on their mind. It was no surprise that with the anguish Kakashi was in, he disregarded one crucial fact. A fact he was made aware of in the Hokage Tower now, surrounded by the Hokage himself and surprisingly, a group of Elders behind him.

The problem was, Kakashi was legally not an adult anymore. When his dad died the first time around, Kakashi had been a genin – a ninja. That title immediately labeled him as an adult. He was old enough to kill, so he was old enough to take care of himself. He was capable and dependent in the eyes of the villagers. This time around, Kakashi gave up his chance to become shinobi. He was a civilian. He was (supposedly) weak. He was required by law to have a guardian or risk being put in an orphanage.

And so, around him, the adults talked over his head at this predicament. Their voices were kept to calm tones, but Kakashi was only half-paying attention. Because even while Kakashi was steady standing on the ground, in his mind, words were swirling in a dizzying storm he couldn't repress.

He'd taken this time-travelling phenomenon for granted when he realised he was in the past, but what if, Kakashi wondered with numbing dread, the future was well and truly unchangeable? The cause might be different, but the consequences would always stay the same - wasn't this time proof of that?

* * *

_Chapter 27: Opinion_

While the Hokage held the role of deciding the outcome of the inhabitants of Konoha, both shinobi or civilian, the village's Councillors were always present to give their unadulterated opinion on matters. As such, when the controversial problem of the placement of the now orphaned Hatake arose, the decision rested not solely on the Hokage's shoulders, but the councillors as well.

It was out of courtesy and long standing tradition that Sarutobi held his peace with the three councilmen, Homura, Koharu, and Danzou who seemed to favour militant views for Konoha's future; they tended to regularly side against Sarutobi due to their distinctively polar views. Hiruzen Sarutobi believed in the protection of his people and the idea of peaceful, cherished childhoods to fuel the rest of his citizen's lives. The other three elders, on the other hand, for their views of a strong Konoha leading the Elemental Countries with their obedient prowess and an unrivaled skills, it was no wonder they disapproved of an obstinate child like Kakashi, who had no desire for the shinobi arts.

And so, this led to the scene Kakashi was in currently, standing in the Hokage's office as the councilmen were sat before him, arguing about his fate like he wasn't present and listening.

"He's just a child – a civilian no less!"

"He is a Hatake, much like his father. Sakumo, intentionally disobeyed orders by selfishly abandoning his mission, and as a result, greatly shamed the distinguishing name Konoha had been building for herself. Who is to say he won't do the same in the future?"

Kakashi had drifted away from the argument at the start of the discussion; fortunately, by the time he refocused they were still on the same topic. Or rather  _unfortunately_ , another part of him would admit, because Kakashi didn't want to hear anymore of his father until he got a better hold of himself and his overwrought emotions.

"He saved his teammates who would have otherwise died," was the Hokage's calm response.

But Sarutobi's words had no effect on the other three with their unyielding ideals. Stubborn voices stacked layers upon layers on each other's beliefs, crafting a trembling tower Kakashi craved to strike down just to get them all to stop.

"And he failed his mission. He brought nothing but shame to Konoha and our client's trust. He disgraced our village."

A crinkled hand gripped his pipe as his sharp eyes washed over the Elders arguing against him. "And Sakumo has already atoned for his 'crimes' in the most honourable way possible," the old man argued.

"He has, and as a fellow shinobi, I respect his actions to redeem himself. But you know perfectly well, Hizruzen, as the head of Konoha, we also have the responsibility of the  _whole_ village. Sakumo's atonement does not change the fact that the dignity of Konoha has fallen as a result of his foolish decision – there forever will be a stain in our reputation."

Kakashi had tried not to retort back at the elders, least he make his situation any worse, but Kakashi really couldn't help himself on such a sore topic. "Saving lives is just as important, if not more, than finishing a mission. Without shinobi, the missions would not even be able to be carried out in the first place, let alone succeed to improve the standing of the village," Kakashi snapped as calmly as he could, because encouraged by Obito's speech, the importance of a comrade's life was everything he lived by.

But the councilmen paid the boy's words little heed. Between age and rank, Kakashi was nowhere near their level; his person was nowhere near prominent enough for them to regard his words as anything other than childish blathering. Kakashi's outburst meant nothing to them except as further reasoning against the boy.

"You can see the child clearly fully supports Sakumo's doings; he doesn't see Sakumo has done any wrong – he has no regards for our sacred Shinobi Rules. I disagree with your decision to house him in the orphanage, Hiruzen. Civilian or not, the child will corrupt potential shinobi with his wayward ideas."

"He is just a child."

"We should take no unnecessary chances for the greater good of our Village's name. The Hatake will be Konoha's downfall."

These were reputable councilmen, Kakashi knew; their importance over the governing of Konoha were respected and held a great influence. But despite knowing that, Kakashi couldn't help the twitching of his hands, itching to creep to his sides to pull out the kunai he'd hidden previously on his person, and give the councilmen a fright - or  _anything_  to cease their imperious manner. "All you care about is the ideal Konoha. You'll never achieve it if you don't think about the  _people_  living in it."

"The people living in it, boy," Koharu retorted, "the shinobi, are the warriors of the Hidden Village of the Leaf. Their duty is to carry out missions for our great Village. The strength of our shinobi exists for the reason of aiding our Village to prosper against others. Sakumo did not just fail his mission, he threw away his Village for an impulsive, imprudent decision. Understood?" the Elder explained in a harsh patronizing tone. "Now do not interrupt any further, boy. Just what has Sakumo been teaching you? He a disappointment as a ninja, a disappointment as a parent-"

Kakashi froze. The words stung personally; Kakashi wasn't about to let them turn their words on Sakumo's personal life, especially when this discussion had nothing to do with it, especially when they didn't know the loving, kind father Kakashi knew. Kakashi snapped, having had enough of listening quietly. "Stop it!" he hissed. The air seemed to crackle mildly with electricity, "Don't you dare talk about my dad like that. His parenting has nothing to do with where I should go. In fact, just leave me alone. I can take care of myself."

His grey-blue eyes flared with anger as he stared unflinchingly at the Elders. He barely acknowledged the Hokage getting up and kneeling down slowly beside him. "Kakashi, calm down. I agree your father was a great man, and no one here is able to appreciate all that he has done for us. But as harsh as it is, we are all entitled to our own opinions," Sarutobi whispered softly, "And you shouldn't be alone. Especially not right now. You're much too young to be able to take care of yourself."

The old man looked gently at the boy, and Kakashi was reminded of how warm and kind-hearted the Sandaime was. Kakashi swallowed his anger. "You know I'll be fine. You know I'll be able to," the masked boy said at last, once he was certain his voice wouldn't accidentally lash out into a snarl.

The old man shook his head immediately. "No child, you are only six. Don't put such a burden on yourself. I know you're smart enough, mature enough, but you are still only six."  _And you've just had such a traumatising experience_ , the old man's eyes conveyed silently.

Kakashi took a deep breath, pushing aside the strong emotion of grief and self-loath that his child-self seemed to be able to bring out so much more easily than his older self. Kakashi wrestled tensely with his emotions for a long while, until he was finally feeling old once more from that familiar feeling of piecing himself back together after everything went wrong. It was so nostalgic, and so  _hateful,_ but this feeling was so much more familiar to deal with. "I can stay on my own, so I won't 'corrupt' anyone," the boy said giving a restrained glance over to the Elder who'd made that very point, "I can and I'm willing to," Kakashi stated simply, pushing determination into his tone.  _He'd done it once before._

"My boy …"

"You could come to check up on me once in a while?" Kakashi words seemed so rebellious and stubborn, it only made the Sandaime want to shake his head once more; but Kakashi's idea did seem reasonable and workable, and also quite considerate of the Elders' issues.

Sarutobi pondered to himself. He himself could personally check up on the boy – he wanted to, were he not so busy. Kakashi  _looked_  fine; he  _looked_  like he wasn't affected, but Sarutobi knew better. And with his busy schedule, he didn't have the time to come daily to check up on the young Hatake and make sure  _for certain_  Kakashi was going to be okay.

He wasn't going to let down an old friend's son. He wouldn't let Kakashi be crippled by this obstacle; he wouldn't allow Kakashi's trauma get the better of him just because he was not attentive enough to the boy. Kakashi had a whole life in front of him, with potential not many could rival. He was a prodigy, that boy - one who would do many great things in the future, as long as he wasn't held back by everything that had happened to him lately.

The Hokage glanced down at the small silver-haired boy, mind running ideas upon ideas. The word prodigy struck a chord in his mind, and the old man smiled suddenly, a plan in mind. "Hmm, I might have an answer to your problem," he mused. He took a puff of his smoke, wondering what to do before he could arrange everything. "Do you want to sleep at the hospital, Kakashi? We'll take care of your living residence tomorrow." God forbid the boy to spend more time in the Hatake Compound after what he saw there.

But to the Hokage's surprise, Kakashi shook his head. "No, I'll go home," he insisted.

The pipe in Sarutobi's mouth bobbed for a second, threatening to fall off his lips. "Child, you do not need to go back if you don't wish to. We can find you an inexpensive apartment to live in – one affordable with the Hatake funds, or orphan allowance."

Want, need, guilt, shame, hate, sorrow, frustration, determination – Kakashi's emotions cycled through it all. There was a story to go with each and every one, but for the life of him, the Hokage could not fit together the pieces properly to make any sense. Kakashi shook his head, clearing his face, before the Hokage could dwell on the matter any longer. "No, I want to go home," he said softly.

"Kakashi," the Village Leader spoke. There was nothing more to that sentence, but the tone Sarutobi said the boy's name in told Kakashi all that the Hokage wanted him to know, and then some.

And still, Kakashi only shook his head. "I think… " Eyes glazed momentarily, and then the boy's voice grew determined. "I need to go home," he finally said.

In front of Kakashi, old, dark eyes closed in defeat as a hand held on tightly to his wooden pipe. "Very well then," the old man sighed. He called for an Anbu. "Deer will take you home, Kakashi. And my dear boy, if anything bothers you, just call for him and he will come to help you immediately, understood?"

The man-turned-boy smiled softly at the old Hokage's worries. "Of course, Hokage-sama."

Sarutobi nodded, "Alright then, get some rest now." And hope everything would be fine in the morning.

* * *

_Chapter 28: Introductions_

Minato was confused when the Hokage suddenly called him to his office barely a few day after he returned from his mission. He was shocked when he learnt of his friend's death. He was horrified when he heard that little Kakashi – only  _six_  – was the first one to find him, sitting in his father's own blood. He was appalled when he was told what the Elders of the council had said (in front of Kakashi, no less!). And he was determined to help the little boy through the childhood he deserved after all that had happened to him.

Sakumo was a dear friend of Minato's. He'd met the silver-haired man through Jiraiya, and in him, he'd found a father. Minato couldn't call Sakumo the most diligent of fathers, but he certainly tried his best to help Minato whenever he could.

It was a bright, joyful day that seemed to glow even happier when Minato first learned that his dear friend's son was born – almost a little clone of Sakumo, in fact. But by that time, Minato had been promoted to Jounin, and could hardly find the time to visit as much as he wanted to. When Sakumo's wife died, Minato decided it would be best to give the man a little space. And before he knew it, little Kakashi had grown up, and Sakumo was dead.

Dead _\- seppuku!_

There was so much going on lately, so much he'd missed out on, during the extended mission he had deployed to. Minato almost didn't know what to address first to stop his head from spinning from the influx of devastating information. "With all due respect, Hokage-sama, why did you send Kakashi back to the Hatake compound?" Minato finally enquired in aghast when he found out where the little boy had spent the night.

The Hokage's answer was simple, and the old man looked like he was perturbed by the words he spoke himself. "He wished for it."

Minato froze, uncertain if it was horror or shock that had made him. Hadn't Kakashi been mentally scarred enough? He had to go back to the Hatake Compound where that dreadful event occurred, and on his own accord? And Sarutobi let him? Minato uttered out his concerns not a second later when his voice caught up to his mind.

The Hokage shook his head solemnly, "No, I completely agree with your argument. I did not wish for Kakashi to stay there, but young Kakashi, however, refused to have it any other way."

"But-"

Sarutobi interrupted Minato with another shake of the head, "They were haunted eyes, Kakashi's, but above that, there was absolute resolution in them when Kakashi made the request to me. I will not deny the boy something he desperately wants at a time like this, especially if it is something I can readily give him."

The blond frowned, trying his best to comprehend the young boy's mental frame, but in the end he could only lower his bewildered gaze and accept reality. "If that's what Kakashi _really_  thought was best," Minato said reluctantly. Minato found it hard to believe any boy would be able to stomach spending the night where the ghost of his father would continuously haunt his mind and nightmares … but then again, Jiraiya and Sakumo had always told him how strong and resilient Kakashi was – yet, Minato highly doubt they meant in respect to events like these.

Before Minato's mind could wander any longer, Sarutobi's voice cut through his thoughts, a sharp, studious look on his face. "Are you certain you do not mind dropping by daily to check up on Kakashi? It will be a burden on your busy schedule, and I refuse to assign it as a D-rank to you."  _For Kakashi was a child – he was more than just a mission._

Minato could hear the unspoken words; words that echoed his own thoughts completely. The blond gave a strong, sharp nod. "Of course, Hokage-same. I will take responsibility of Kakashi, I promise. I am willing to diligently visit Kakashi without fail," the blond stated determinately.

Sarutobi graced the man with an assured smile as he lowered his pipe. "But Kakashi is still a child, Minato, I need you to understand that. Do you know how to care for children?"

The blond froze slightly. "To be honest," Minato lowered his head, "I don't. I'm willing to try my hardest, but I don't know how successful I will be." The blond tilted his head to the side, a half-bitter smile on his face as he remembered conversations he had in the past, "I'd always thought I would end up as Kakashi's Jounin teacher, you know, when Kakashi is ten and graduated from the Academy." Minato paused, "Or possibly even slightly younger, by the way Sakumo kept proudly telling Jiraiya his son was a prodigy. I never imaged it to turn out like this." Minato stared out the windows of the Hokage's office, with a dry chuckle on his lips, "Did you know Sakumo said he was going to try pulling strings to get Kakashi on my team?"

"He might've mentioned it once or twice to me in the passing, before Kakashi gave up the idea of the Academy," Sarutobi said fondly, remembering the teasing bribes of Sakumo and his own student.

Minato's shoulders shook slightly. The sad smile on the blond's face only seemed more and more forced as time proceeded. "I promised Sakumo I would take care of Kakashi. The fact that the promise isn't in regards to training and missions any longer, doesn't mean a thing; I'll take care of Kakashi."

There was a short silence as the Hokage tried to form his next words as delicately as he could. The question had to be asked, "Do you honestly care for Kakashi, or is this just a promise to you?"

The blond chewed his lip thoughtfully, pondering over the question, because even he himself wanted to make sure before answering confidently. Because if he  _wasn't_ sure, it wouldn't he him who would suffer the consequences, it would be Kakashi. And the boy had suffered enough already. It was only a moment later when Minato answered, certain of his own words, "Jiraiya and Sakumo were like fathers to me, just as much as they were mentors. I remember how much that meant to me.  _No one_  should be alone." His voice grew steadier with every word. "I won't let Kakashi fall into despair. I care about him. I know it."

Sarutobi could see the sincerity in Minato's voice. The old man smile, while creasing, wrinkled eyes shut with relief. "Thank you."

And that was all that needed to be said.

So now, Minato found himself standing in front of the Hatake Compound, unable to raise his hand to knock. Butterflies invaded, spawned, and flipped in acrobatic numbers in his stomach as he stared at the door. This was worse than asking a girl out on a date, the man decided unpremeditatedly, as his limps remained stiff and unable to knock.

Minato had already wasted a good portion of his morning milling about the entrance of the Hatake Compound, trying to hold in his growing worries. What was he doing here again? There must've been plenty others who could take better care of a child than him. He was only in his early,  _early_  twenties. He didn't know how to properly take care of children; what if he scared Kakashi? Did the boy even remember him?

Minato wondered why he was so eager to agree last night in the Hokage Tower, especially considering how inexperienced he was with this whole thing. He was probably better suited to mentor Kakashi than anything else, like Sakumo had originally hoped for. Minato was raised a ninja, lived as a ninja. How did little kids play? What was he supposed to do with Kakashi?

What if Kakashi found him bothersome? Minato had agreed to drop by whenever he didn't have missions to check up and take care of Kakashi until the boy was of age, but what was he going to do if Kakashi tired of him right away and demanded for Minato to leave him alone? The boy was probably going to label him as some weird old man who kept intruding into his home.

Before his frantic mind could pile on anymore doubt, Minato forced his hand to drop onto the door to knock. He knew there was only so much thinking and speculating he could take before he would start changing his mind due to nervousness, and that wouldn't do because he did honestly want to help Kakashi, this apprehensive feeling in his chest or not.

Several moments later, the vibrations of soft padding footsteps could be heard approached slowly from inside the house. Minato could feel his heart thud in response.

The door opened without warning, much too soon for Minato's liking. Owlish grey-blue eyes, wide in surprise – fear? – stared up at him. The blond felt his mouth dry.  _What to say now?_  "H-hello. Are you Kakashi?" Minato managed out before groaning internally at his own absurd words. Kakashi was the only one living in the Hatake Compound, after all.

Nevertheless, Kakashi's fear of him seemed to suddenly subside as his eyes quickly slid into a look of wonder. Minato continued talking, hoping it would calm the boy (or more accurately, calm himself). "Do you remember me? I'm friends with your dad. We've met when you were this small," Minato said, holding up his hand to the appropriate size. There was a pause and Minato desperately tried to grasp at another topic to talk about before the silence could evolve into something more awkward.

That wasn't necessary, however, as Kakashi spoke up instead. "Really?" The soft question caught Minato by surprise because Kakashi had been staring at him with a dazed look all this time, and Minato honestly had been doubting the boy heard anything he'd said. Minato held still as Kakashi's eyes washed over his figure with some sort of dark, hidden emotion in those grey-blue eyes of his. A second later, the boy's face stretched into a smile. "I think my dad mentioned it once," Kakashi murmured lightly with a tilt of the head.

"Is that so?" Minato replied. He tried to keep his voice from being too tense, but Minato didn't think it worked, because he was already holding back so much that it was starting to reflect in his voice. The moment Minato saw Kakashi, he could see the old, weary eyes of someone who'd seen too much of the evils of their world. It pained Minato's heart to see a boy as young as six could be traumatised by his father's ostracization and death so thoroughly that the pain reflected so clearly on his innocent face. Minato desperately ached to hug the boy, or heck,  _anything_ to ease the lingering hurt from Kakashi's soul, but he couldn't because he was practically a stranger to Kakashi and he didn't want the boy to be even more scared.

Minato didn't know what Kakashi was thinking anymore, but his heart suddenly jumped when two small pale hands softly clamped over his own without warning, pulling him into the house. The silver-haired boy shot him another smile. "Do you want something to drink?" the boy asked politely. Minato nodded wordlessly, allowing Kakashi to pull him along.

The blond let his eyes fall on Kakashi's small form as they walked through the hallway, wondering what to do now. Because despite the frantic mess he was inside, seeing Kakashi now, Minato knew with all his heart that no matter how long it took, he would definitely take care of the six-year-old; a sweet little boy like Kakashi deserved more than what he had right now, and Minato was determined to give him just that.

* * *

 

_Chapter 29: Caretaker_

Kakashi had always considered himself a lucky man. Despite his what-seemed-like never ending losses of family and friends, he'd survived much longer than the average shinobi life-expectancy and he'd taught a genin team who'd been effectively becoming legendary in their own ways in the impending Fourth Shinobi War. Luck had always been a relative thing, anyways. Kakashi was sure somewhere in the world his losses weren't half as bad or distressing as other shinobi. Besides, despite everything, Kakashi, through an unimaginable miracle, had been given a second chance to save his loved ones.

Admittedly, saving his father hadn't gone as well as he thought it would, but that only gave him more incentive to make sure Obito, Rin, Minato, and all those who could be saved _would_  be saved. He wouldn't fail a second time, Kakashi vowed determinately, because this time he would try even harder in order to make sure his father's death wasn't in vain – he owed his father's sacrifice that much.

And if Kakashi was being honest with himself, maybe it was true that he was still hurting inside, but he knew moping about it would get him nowhere. Even if he felt like lately he had to get through the days by desperately pushing happy yet hollow thoughts, words, and expressions to cover up his anguish, it was an honest start and Kakashi had to start somewhere, right?

Kakashi was half-certain some all-powerful being up there in the beyond decided to take pity on his current dreary situation when the next day Kakashi's luck struck once more early that morning.

Kakashi couldn't believe his eyes, his body freezing for a mere second, when a bright smiling sunshine blond woke him up with a sharp knock on his Compound doors. Kakashi never expected Minato-sensei was going to be part of his life already, especially considering the man had no reason to visit him since he was no longer his mentor. Kakashi had been harbouring thoughts on initiating his introduction to the cheery blond himself as soon as he managed to conjure up a good excuse, but it seemed like fate had other plans. This was truly a surprising turn of events. Of course, Minato took Kakashi's woozy stare as a sign of mistrust and fear.

"H-hello," the blond said softly, "Are you Kakashi?"

Kakashi nodded, snapping out of his stupor. He opened the door wider to let the man in, eyes refusing to leave the oh-so familiar sight of his beloved sensei.

Whether or not Minato noticed his invitation into the Compound, Kakashi couldn't be sure, but the man continued talking, seemingly in a daze of his own. "Do you remember me? I'm friends with your dad. We've met when you were this small," he said, holding his hands apart to a size of what could only be an infant.

Kakashi offered the man a soft smile. "Really? I think my dad mentioned it once," Kakashi responded. Minato was speaking so slowly and gently, like he was afraid Kakashi was going to break down if he raised his voice. Minato had never been like this the first time around. Kakashi couldn't stand it; he was not that fragile. Kakashi wanted a deep bond with his sensei, something akin to the one they'd had in the future when Kakashi finally opened up to Minato. But they would never get anywhere if Minato kept acting like Kakashi would fall apart in a gust of wind.

The blond seemed to be considering something to himself as he said, "Is that so?" in a voice that made Kakashi slightly apprehensive. The silver-haired boy had noticed what seemed like confidence slowing building up behind Minato's nervous cerulean blue eyes as their conversation proceeded, but it appeared the blond wasn't quite comfortable standing before him after all.

For a second, Kakashi wondered what he should be doing. Another half of his mind wondered if Minato-sensei – no, Minato-san – was going to bolt if he let the silence hang for any longer. It was a bit impulsive on his part, but Kakashi sudden reached up with both his hands, pulling Minato into the compound before the blond  _did_  decided to change his mind an leave. "Do you want something to drink?" he asked, already leading the way without letting the man decide.

Kakashi could feel Minato dutifully following after him, and the masked boy had to suppress a childish giggle (he wasn't sure if he was really amused or perhaps the stress was getting to him) that seemed to build up seeing the stupor the man was in. It was a struggle to keep in his inane need to giggle, and Kakashi was certain he'd look more insane than anything else if he'd let his laughter come free. But something deep inside Kakashi was swelling like a balloon in his chest, making him restless and feeling like he  _had_  to do  _something_ , because he couldn't just walk carefreely like everything was fine in his life. And yet another part of him wondered why he was so fidgety because he'd never had this little control over his emotions except when he'd actually been a kid, and despite how he looked at the moment he wasn't  _truly_  one anymore.

Nevertheless, Kakashi eventually managed to push away his urge the whole journey through the Compound. The moment they reached the kitchen, Kakashi guided the blond over to a chair before kicking a stool over to the cabinets to reach into the overhead shelves for his guest cups.

Minato seemed to snap out of his stupor as he watched Kakashi clamber up the stool and table for them. "Let me," the blond insisted, heading over, words tumbling out in a bit of an uncertain rush.

"I've got it," Kakashi said, but the blond merely reached over him, getting the cups before Kakashi could even touch them. "Oh," the boy paused. "Thanks."

Minato grinned. "I'm here to help."

Kakashi felt a small smile tug at the corners of his lips at the man's familiar tone as Minato's tense voice from before melted back into his naturally relaxed timbres. He fixed a curious look on his face. "Oh, are you?" Kakashi inquired interestedly, already gathering the kettle to pour their tea.

Minato seemed to pause, running the question over in is mind. "Well, yes, actually," he finally said, "In a way." The man sat down by the dining room table, following Kakashi's lead. He scratched his cheek nervously, fingers spinning the full cup of tea in his hands in an anxious twitch. "Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about," Minato continued in the same cautious tone.

"Yes?"

Kakashi waited patiently as Minato gathered his nerves. The older man took a deep breath. "Yes. Because you're a minor living alone now that-" The blond started before shaking his head and starting over. "Because you're still a child and living alone, the Hokage thought it would be best if someone could come and check up on you. In case you have any concerns."

Kakashi nodded, wrapping his hand around his warm teacup. "The Hokage mentioned about it yesterday," the boy recalled. He just never realised Hokage-sama would get Minato to do it.

"Ah!" The blond suddenly cried out, drawing Kakashi's eyes upon him. Minato stared into Kakashi's eyes, his own glowing with sincerity he tried to convey to the boy as he spoke. "I want you to understand that I'm not only doing this because I was ordered to. I  _chose_  to look after you, so don't think you'll be a burden. If there's  _anything_ , just let me know, okay?"

Kakashi couldn't help the small amused grin rising on his face at his sensei's frantic words. Minato didn't need to tell him that; Kakashi knew better than anyone how kind-hearted the Jounin was. "Okay," he said out loud nevertheless, hoping to calm Minato down, "I'll let you know."

Minato grinned at him with something akin to relief hiding behind his stretching lips. For another few minutes, silence enveloped the two. Minato anxiously tapped his finger on the side of his cup, starting to look a bit apprehensive when Kakashi didn't say anything more because, Kakashi supposed, Minato likely was under the impression that all six-year-olds were known for being unrestrained and chatty. Kakashi took pity on the man. "I'm Kakashi," the silver-haired boy said, opening up a conversation, "I'm six, and I like … reading."

"Ah," Minato sounded, probably only realising he'd failed to make any proper introduction of himself. "I'm Minato Namikaze. Call me Minato." The man rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Well, I'm twenty, and a Jounin. My teacher, Jiraiya-sensei, and your dad were great friends." Minato pursed his lips in thought before his eyes lit up at another topic to share, an amused grin on his face. "Jiraiya-sensei was always complaining how it was my fault I lost him the claim of having cutest protégé once you were born," Minato confided playfully.

The boy rolled his eyes. "That sounds like them," Kakashi snorted, thinking back on all the childish bragging competitions the two indulged themselves in. A second later, Kakashi struggled to hold his grin steady, trying to swallow back down the twisting ball in his chest that was trying to force its way out when he was reminded once again of what he'd lost.

They'd lapsed into another silence afterwards, as Kakashi was content to study the young form of his sensei before him, trying to keep himself in the present, while Minato had absolutely no idea what more to say to the six-year-old. Then man continuously ran his hand through his messy blond hair with increasing frequency, as though the action itself was trying to make up for the lack of words being spoken between them. Finally the blond took a sip of his tea, offering Kakashi a solemn smile. "Do you need to talk about it?" he asked hesitantly.

Kakashi glanced up at the man's terrible attempt to play therapist. It was nice that Minato was trying so hard; after all, this must've been awkward for the man, considering how nervous he'd been hardly half-an-hour ago. But no, Kakashi was fine. He wasn't traumatised, no matter what Minato may have thought, and in fact, Kakashi just really didn't want to think about it  _at all_.

Some of the pain must've leaked though as the Jounin leaned forward across the table closer to Kakashi, as if physical contact would help ease the burden; as if the closer he was, it would help transfer some of the pain over to Minato. "Are you sure you're fine?" Minato insisted, concern stitched into each of his words.

Kakashi shook his head. "Don't worry so much about me, Minato-san." The boy's lip quirked upwards for a second, "Adults make too much of a fuss."

Minato looked confused at Kakashi's sudden amusement, and he looked like he wanted to complain at the idle way the silver-haired boy brushed off his honest concern. In the end, Minato clenched his teacup tighter as his muscles twitched like he was suppressing his desire to get up to move closer to Kakashi. "Are you sure there's nothing I can do?" he asked for a final time.

Minato's worried persistence was endearing, Kakashi decided; that was why even as a bitter child in the past he'd never been able to fully despise the blond. Minato was someone who's care for another's wellbeing was so pure and genuine that Kakashi would sometimes find himself confiding to the blond just to stop Minato from over-worrying for his sake. And even if the blond was stumbling his way around Kakashi right now, and holding himself back in fear of startling the six-year-old, Kakashi could tell that Minato truly could worry himself into a frenzy over imaginary issues the a man would assume could be bothering Kakashi.

The silver-haired boy looked up, letting his solemn grey-blue eyes bore into Minato's. "Actually," the silver-haired boy began softly, honestly, "There  _is_  one thing I need help organising …" And if letting Minato past the surface of his forced optimistic behaviour helped form a stronger bond between them so much sooner, then all the better, because sometimes Kakashi couldn't help feeling the spark of longing inside for the rekindling of the relationship they'd once had so long ago. Besides, Kakashi  _did_  need help with organising a certain project he had in mind, and Minato was more than happy to help.

* * *

 

_Chapter 30: Hero_

It was weeks after - nearly twenty days of Minato's constant, diligent visits, in fact - before they finished organising what Kakashi had in mind.

Both dressed in black, the two of them, Kakashi and Minato, stood, their moods dark and solemn. It was Sakumo's funeral – or rather, there had been no formal funeral, but just Sakumo's freshly built tombstone. Around the two, the yard was practically bare – no one wanted to come and openly mourn the death of a once-disgraced shinobi. Perhaps on their own time, those who truly admired Sakumo would come and pray for the man, but today, it seemed like the whole cemetery was reserved for Kakashi and Minato themselves.

The sky appeared to echo the mood the two were in, with a gloomy dark sky filling up the sight overhead. Clouds hung sparsely in stretched rows, faintly stained with grey, and tinged pink around the edges, threatening to cry rains of tears in place of Kakashi who desperately had been trying not to do so.

"Are you alright?" Minato asked looking down on the younger boy standing silently beside him whose eyes fixed solely on the stone in front. Cerulean eyes filled with concern as Kakashi barely twitched, barely even reacted to his voice at all.

Grey-blue eyes stared at the grave, glassy and unseeing.

Minato moved a step closer to the hunched boy, his warm body radiating heat in the frigid air. Kakashi barely noticed the blond's presence, but the warmth seemed so foreign in the little world that his mind was encased in that he couldn't help but look up. "It's okay to cry, you know," Minato spoke softly in a soothing tone.

Kakashi's eyes glistened between silver lashes, but otherwise stayed dry. He could see Minato-sensei's lips moving, and he could see the concerned lines etched onto the man's face, but Kakashi couldn't hear him; the world was humming around Kakashi, not a single sound distinct enough for him to make out. The eerie silence of the tatami room, the splatters and splatters of red that seemed to flow endlessly no matter where he looked, and the curling copper scent that mixed with his father's odor in a way that smelled so unnatural that it made his stomach churn – these things filled up everything in his mind, bubbling and overflowing in him like boiling, scalding water.

Kakashi pushed a hand on his aching head before lowering it a minute later, clutching needingly at the clothes above his beating heart. The world faded into a blur as the boy saw nothing but the fresh carved tombstone Kakashi himself (with Minato's assistance) had arranged for his father.

Sakumo was a hero, no matter what anyone thought. If the man wasn't allowed a name on the memorial stone, Kakashi would give him his own, no matter the cost. Sakumo Hatake was a hero whose name shouldn't be forgotten, just as much as every other fallen shinobi KIA. And perhaps no one (not many) at the present time would openly agree with him, but in the future, Sakumo would be looked up to. Because kids like Naruto, and all of Rookie Nine, had unshakable bonds so much stronger than their previous generations, and had minds full of so much more love. These kids were the future of the shinobi world, changing the ridiculous rules and traditions that forbade ninjas to be anything but tools.

But even knowing the radical, inspiring changes to come, that didn't stop the  _now_. It gave Kakashi hope for the future (and sometimes, Kakashi needed all the hope he could get), but it didn't stop villagers from look down on Sakumo in these current years. And it didn't reverse the death of Sakumo.

Silver hair swayed in the wind as the boy stood rigid, stoic, trying not to give in to his erratic emotions every time he thought of his fallen father.

"Kakashi …" Minato whispered gently, a tanned hand rubbing lightly on the pale boy's back in a soothing manner. His tone was pleading, fearing Kakashi was going to keep everything inside and eventually destroy himself.

There was a small choking sound from Kakashi, as small pale hands clenched at his own clothes.

"Let it out," Minato ordered quietly. Kakashi didn't respond, but he'd leaned ever so slightly into the blond's touch.

Kakashi's head was bowed, head tilting towards his father's grave, hands clenching tightly, trying desperately to push away vivid memories from arising once more. His chest was throbbing hard, unsuccessfully trying to contain all the misery and pain he had packed so tightly inside. Kakashi had persistently pushed away every thought of that night to the furthest corners of his mind in order to pull on a calm and happy mask for the Hokage, for Minato, for the world to see. But the sight of Sakumo's grave was digging at every crack present, determined to crumble the feeble container like it wasn't even there in the first place.

To see it twice - to see his father slumped in the dark tatami room, blood coating his hands and floor twice, as the scent of stale, familiar blood overpowered his senses - was too much for him.

He didn't want it to happen the first time.

He  _definitely_  didn't want it to happen the second time.

_So why did it have to happen?_

Was he just supposed to stand there and watch as everyone succumbed to their future without even being able to hold out his hand to them? Kakashi was so earnest, so hopeful; he wanted so hard to spare the village the loss of their loved ones. He'd thought he was doing so well too, and then his father died and showed him otherwise.

Hate and disparagement curled in Kakashi's stomach like a virus, spitting spiteful words of belittlement at his lack of strength. What was he doing wrong? Was his determination not enough? Was his Will of Fire not burning bright enough?  _Was he worthy of even calling himself a noble shinobi of Konoha?_

Kakashi knew he was giving in to his miserable thought by even  _considering_  such foolish questions, because if Kakashi was anything, he was persistent and perseverant of any hardships in his way, fighting hard and proud until he came out on top.

This wasn't like him. Kakashi couldn't stand here anymore – he needed space, he needed to breathe, he needed to clear his head.

"I – I want to be alone for a while," Kakashi finally said, pushing himself away from the grave and the spiraling depressing thoughts it was leading to. Minato shot a worried looked over at him even as the boy waved him off. "I'll be fine," Kakashi whispered softly, trying to pull up a comforting smile. " _I will be_."

All he needed was time alone to sort himself out.


	7. 31-35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos and comments <3

_Chapter 31: Masks_

Kakashi slipped off through the tall standing trees that surrounded the cemetery, to a small clearing not too far away. His eyes flickered with pain as he tried not to think, tried not to let his mind wander off to tangents that did more harm than good for his mental health. He couldn't stay at the grave any longer – it was too hard.

Kakashi liked to think that he was used to death, having seen and caused so many in his whole shinobi career. But this was his father. Not matter how hard he tried to delude himself into thinking he was fine, he wasn't. No one should see their only family die twice in their life. Especially not when he could've stopped it, dammit!

There were so many  _'if only'_ s that kept swirling in Kakashi's mind, like taunting echoes.

Kakashi bit into his thumb and smeared blood onto his palm, with a jutsu on his lips, eager to silence the voices within. With a silent  _puff_ , Pakkun came into view.

The small boy glanced down at his faithful summon, eyes full of expression. It had been a while since he'd last summoned his dogs – way before his father's death. He was just too afraid – irrational fear – that his ninken, after knowing what he'd failed to do even when he'd had so much knowledge to prevent it, would look at him with shameful, disappointed eyes that spoke of renouncement.

But that wouldn't happen. It just wouldn't …  _couldn't._

Kakashi stared at the miniature pug on the grass beside him, who in turn was staring silently at him, clearly feeling the oppressed air around. "Pakkun," Kakashi whispered softly, almost hesitantly, "I … failed." His absolute anguish was enough for Pakkun to realise what he'd failed at.

The dog didn't speak, merely nodding his understanding. Pakkun climbed his way onto Kakashi lap and sprawled reassuringly across the boy's legs, allowing Kakashi's nervous, shaking hands stroke his small head. Perhaps that was all Kakashi had needed – knowing that there were still pack (family) with him, and knowing they still trusted him despite his horrendous blunder.

The boy sat in the woods, eyes staring out at nothing, stroking his loyal companion until it started to become a calming gesture to sooth his pressing chest. Kakashi didn't know how long he had been sitting there until a soft crackling of crushing leaves snapped the young boy out of his misery. Grey-blue eyes looked up, meeting a soft cerulean stare.

**x**

Minato had given Kakashi a few hours alone before finally tracing the boy's tracks. He'd found Kakashi sitting in the middle of a field, puppy on his lap, and eyes filled with more emotions than a kid should be allowed to have.

The blond had inched closer and closer without realising it, cerulean eyes locked on Kakashi's dazed ones, trying hard to identify everything he saw. And then, he'd stepped on a dried leaf catching Kakashi's attention. Before Minato could even blink, the boy's eyes shifted, and suddenly all that was left of the sorrowing gaze was unattached indifference.

Minato hated it.

Minato hated Kakashi's skillfully crafted stare. Why couldn't the boy let him in, let him mourn with him? Why did he have to pretend nothing was wrong when something clearly was?

Minato ached to voice his opinions onto the boy, but who was he to tell Kakashi what to think? The six-year-old barely knew him, and the blond didn't want to be known as 'that meddling man' to the Hatake. To Kakashi, he was just some bloke asked to take care of him; he was just some guardian the boy never said he even wanted in the first place.

"Did you find a puppy?" Minato asked instead, heart hating himself every word. He inclined his head towards the miniature pug on Kakashi's lap, only a second before noticing the vest the dog was wearing. A vest with a hand-sewn  _heno-heno-moheji_  stitched on the back. "Is he  _your_  puppy?" he tried again, bewilderment slowly building up in his tone.

Minato watched as the boy glanced down at the dog, and understanding seemed to flicker between man and beast in a silent agreement. The blond only wondered what just happened.

"He's a pug," Kakashi answered simply, neither answering his question nor giving him anything new.

"Woof," said the pug unconvincingly.

Minato could feel his eyebrows crawling up his forehead. "Is he a  _summon_?" he cried incredulously. Because, as far as Minato was concerned, of all animals, only summons could talk. He watched as Kakashi shot a glare at the dog in his lap.

The dog, in return, gave what Minato could only describe as a nonchalant shrug, "Hey, I  _said '_ woof'," the  _summon_  muttered back defensively in an unexpectedly gruff voice.

"That was the least enthusiastic bark I have ever heard coming from a canine," Minato told the miniature pug.

The dog swiveled his had so he was staring at the blond. "Don't you start too," he grumbled, his half-lidded stare reminding Minato eerily of Kakashi's.

Minato quirked a small smile at the pug to amuse him, before turning back to Kakashi. Questions of  _how_  a six-year-old boy had a summon demanded to be answered, but Minato couldn't have that. That wasn't the answer he  _really_  wanted answered from Kakashi; at least not at this moment. The one he wanted answered was one that Kakashi refused to be honest about. It was the one Kakashi seemed to avoid as much as possible. But heck, even if the boy hated it, Minato would continue to ask it. He wouldn't rest - not until Kakashi stopped lying to him. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," the silver-haired boy said succinctly.

That was an obvious lie.

"Kakashi," the man stressed.

"It just shook me up. I'm fine." A smile graced the boy's feature, but Minato knew better than to trust it. Because he'd seen the deep whirling pit of emotions in his eyes, under that mask, no matter how fleeting. He'd seen it, and he knew the boy was  _not fine_.

He'd seen the way Kakashi unconsciously steered as far away as possible from that dreaded room every time he passed by; Kakashi probably didn't even realise what he was doing himself. He'd seen the glances Kakashi gave over at the closed sliding doors (covered in dust, indicating just how long it'd been since anyone last touched them), his gaze holding hatred, longing, and utter despair.

Oh, he'd tried to hide it, that boy, behind that frequent mask of idle indifference or that false, over-cheery childish grin (It hadn't taken Minato long to see through that one). But it was impossible for him – for anyone – to keep their emotions locked in twenty-four-seven. And they shouldn't have had to. Especially a child as young as six.

Minato couldn't see how and why the kid thought he had to suffer through everything alone. What was  _he_  here for, goddammit?

 _Why did Kakashi insist in living in daily torment at the Hatake Compound?_ "Why are you punishing yourself?" Minato asked before he could help himself.

Grey-blue eyes widened at the accusation, swiveling over in shock, "What? I'm –" Even without Minato's help, Kakashi's objection died on his lips. The masked boy shook his head like he was arguing with himself. He clenched his gloved fists. "I'm not," he finally said a moment later. His voice wasn't as confident as it should've been.

Minato stared gently at the young silver-haired Hatake, sitting on the grass with his little fingers picking frantically at his gloves. "I'm not," Kakashi whispered again, this time, more like he was trying to convince himself.

The pug rubbed his head against Kakashi's arms worriedly, and instinctively the boy picked him up, stroking and scratching his problem away.

"Fine," Minato suddenly said, as clearly as he could, snapping the young boy's attention onto him once more. "You say you're not punishing yourself, so don't. Don't live at the Compound anymore."

"What …?" Kakashi began, thrown into confusion.

Impulsiveness and stubbornness fueled Minato's next words. He didn't know where the idea came from or when he'd ever even considered it, but it felt so  _right_. "Don't stay there. Live with me," the sunshine blond demanded. It was only when Kakashi's masked jaw fell that Minato caught up to his mouth. Even as his own words registered in this mind he agreed with himself right away. The blond dropped down to his knees, looking pleadingly straight into Kakashi's eyes. "Please?" he asked, letting his hopefulness seep through.

Kakashi looked away suddenly, picking up Pakkun to give the dog an engulfing hug, the mildest of tremor in those clutching fingers of his. Minato couldn't help but sincerely hope that meant ' _yes_ '.

* * *

 

_Chapter 32: Home_

Minato owned a small unit in an apartment complex near the outskirts of the village which he'd taken to calling the  _Namikaze Complex_  when describing his home to Kakashi. By the time everything was arranged and Minato finally brought Kakashi to the complex, Kakashi already had been informed of everything about the place, from the fact Minato bought his particular unit there because windows faced outwards towards the forest instead of buildings on all four sides, to the trivial details of how his neighbours were retired civilians.

Kakashi kept his hands in his pockets, with a full, heavy bag slung across his shoulders, as he watched Minato unlock the apartment door.

It was an overwhelming surprise for Kakashi when his (former) sensei proposed for Kakashi to move in with him; the masked boy never dreamed Minato would make an offer like that. It wasn't a secret, especially with the way Minato had been fidgeting around Kakashi during their first few days together, that Minato was inexperienced with interacting with kids under even commonplace circumstances. So, it was more than unbelievable that the man would so unhesitantingly ask - almost plead, really - for Kakashi to _live_  with him.

In a matter of a second, Minato eagerly upgraded himself from a mere … drop-in caretaker, if you will, to something more personal, more special. How did things turn out like this? Kakashi wasn't complaining; in fact, he'd never been more delighted, but this was a development Kakashi never expected.

"Come on in," Minato said, a hand gesturing the silver-haired boy in while the other pushed the door open.

"Sorry for intruding," Kakashi murmured politely as he stepped through with the blond.

Minato smiled softly at the masked boy too old for his own good – too polite and nothing like the rambunctious six-year-olds he'd seen around the village. The thought did nothing except continue to circle the dreadful question of just how badly  _had_  the whole disgraced affair affected the boy?

But nevertheless, the blond kept his smile plastered on his face, placing a guiding hand on the boy's back. He gently led the silver-haired Hatake past the living room, kitchen, and down the hall. "Here we are," the Namikaze exclaimed, grasping the knob of the first door they walked up to. He opened it to reveal a small but clean room, devoid of much but a basic bed and wardrobe. "I fixed up the guest room for you," Minato explained, showing Kakashi in, "It's a bit small, but-"  _Much better than living with your father's ghost haunting your back,_  was what Minato wanted to say, but he couldn't. Not so bluntly, and not to the six-year-old. "- but on the plus side, my room's right on the other side to yours," the blond finished instead.

Kakashi nodded, hearing the unspoken words, but choosing not the comment on it. Besides, Minato  _was_  right in a way. The silver-haired boy wandered into the room,  _his_  room, a smile slowly relaxing onto his ridged figure.

"The washroom's right beside your room, and we've passed the living room and kitchen on our way here. How about I let you unpack in peace?" Minato suggested. With a silent nod from the boy, the man glided back out the door, leaving Kakashi.

On his own, Kakashi stepped into the center of the room, grey-blue eyes flickering from corner to corner. They landed on the sole window of the room which was set facing the backyard of miles of forest trees. Kakashi stared out for a while with utter blankness in his mind, relishing the feeling of everything around him, before he turned around and finally dropped his pack by the foot of the bed. The boy plopped himself down onto the bed as well, watching a stale gust of air swooshing out from the mattress below.

Perhaps he should've been unpacking as Minato had told him to, but all Kakashi wanted at the moment was to keep his mind blank as the apartment room wrapped around him in a warm way he didn't think was possible from ridged structural buildings.

Minato was right; Kakashi couldn't keep living in the cold, isolated Compound. It just wasn't healthy for him, no matter how old or experience in war and death he was.

' _Why are you punishing yourself,'_  Minato had said to Kakashi the day he suddenly begged Kakashi to live with him. The words visibly struck a cord with Kakashi because he hadn't thought about it like that. Kakashi hadn't deliberately set out to  _punish_ himself; he'd just felt the need to remind himself of the high chances that things  _would_  go wrong once again. - and maybe somewhere in his heart he'd also wished to have something that held a connection with the happier times he had with his father; and maybe he might've also been trying to affirm to himself that he truly was a changed man from his previous childhood, and giving up his family Compound echoed his impassive child-self too much. There were so many bits and pieces of reasons that didn't all completely make a whole, to the point where perhaps the underlining message that held everything together, hidden beneath the half-truths,  _was_  the fact that he was punishing himself - he'd only been trying to delude himself otherwise. Frankly, he'd substituted the memorial stone with his own Compound.

And gradually the Compound became like a  _konaki-jiji_ , weighing down on him like a heavy ghost, heavier and heavier until it started to crush him alive. Because unlike the memorial stone, Kakashi lived in the Compound, unable to escape the dread, guilt, and hate that haunted every breath he took.

Minato was completely right in pulling him out of that dreary house.

Lost in thought, Kakashi was still on the bed kicking his legs that hung bent off the sides, when a soft knock sounded at his door a few minutes later. Kakashi looked up to see Minato walking in, arms clutched around a wrapped lump. "What do you think about it?" Minato asked, face slanted into a hopeful gaze.

Kakashi felt his lip quirk at the man's concern. "I like it. It's … homey," he said sincerely. And it really did. Kakashi hadn't realise how cold it was for him to go home and sleep every night until he stepped foot in Minato's apartment. It was small, but everything about it was comfortable and warm. The Compound hadn't really been home for him ever since his father died once again. And honestly, after all that, he didn't think he could ever call it home without a wrenching feeling rising in his stomach at the thought of it; even though he'd only been in the Namikaze Complex for one day, it already was feeling like the safe, loving home that the Hatake Compound would never be anymore.

The blond smiled at Kakashi's words. "That's wonderful," he grinned in relief. "Oh, here," he added a second later, handing over the unidentifiable package.

Kakashi stared at it. "Okay?"

Minato shrugged, scratching his cheek. "It's a present," he explained, "A welcoming present?"

Kakashi felt touched. Whether or not the blond knew Kakashi was in a mournful mood, Minato always knew what to do to make him feel better. With a fond smile under his mask, Kakashi unwrapped the gift, eyes widening amusedly as he made out what it was.

Minato grin widened at the silver-haired boy's face. "It's a dog cushion," he said, as though Kakashi had no idea. "I thought your summon, Pakkun, might want a place to sleep if he comes to visit again."

Kakashi turned the cushion over in his hands. "Thank you," he said almost stiffly, feeling a bit choked at the blond's thoughtfulness. The silver-haired boy stared at the cushion in his hands once more. For a second, the boy couldn't help the large, amused grin that passed over his face.

"Problem?" Minato asked, catching sight of it.

Kakashi waved it off with a shrug. "Nothing," he chuckled, knowing Minato wouldn't understand; not if the blond only knew Pakkun. It just occurred to him that he might need a  _lot_ more cushions if the present was for his summons. Eight dogs couldn't possibly all fit on this tiny thing. It was going to be fun to watch them try, though.

"Thank you," Kakashi said again, eyes still glistening in amusement.

Minato sent the boy a cheerful smile, glad Kakashi seemed to be in a lighter mood than he'd ever seen the boy. "You're welcome," he said. "Now come along when you're done unpacking!" Minato cheered, "There's this one place I've been dying to show you." The man drooled, "I'll introduce you to the best ramen you'll ever taste!"

Kakashi only grinned knowingly under his mask. **  
**

* * *

_Chapter 33: Doubt_

Kakashi needed to train. Every time he closed his eyes, if it wasn't his father, it was the image of a burning Konoha that flashed before his mind. He could hear the crying screams of his comrades, he could remember the spray of warm blood that washed across his skin as his friends sacrificed their lives for their village, he could see the dark empty crater that was left of a decimated Konoha, and he would never forget the tears that flooded down everyone's faces as everything they loved disappeared one by one. He wouldn't let it happen again – never again.

Just coming back into the past was not enough; Kakashi needed to be proactive. He needed to act, or else history would just repeat itself over and over again. But he couldn't do it recklessly either – who knew just how greatly one careless action could affect the future. Kakashi needed to change things - small things that in the long run was for the better, but didn't drastically change everything completely (because Kakashi needed to be able to know what was relatively going to occur if he wanted to make sure things turned out fine).

That was much easier said than done… His first try was a complete failure. His father's tombstone could account for that.

Kakashi didn't have a solid plan of action for the present – there were ideas about re-initiating that unknown 'scarfed ninja' strategy that Kakashi had started a while ago, but Kakashi was still putting it off because he wanted to come up with other options before he put anything into action. Despite this dilemma, however, there  _was_  one thing Kakashi knew he had to do; he couldn't be some weak, defenseless boy if he wanted to change things, no matter what the final plan may be. That was why, diligently, Kakashi slipped off to train on his own whenever he could, trying his hardest to get back into shape and to surpass the level he'd previously been at.

With his thoughts sitting deeply in the midst of the future, he never thought about how his distanced behaviour seemed like to Minato in the present time, who was worried enough about Kakashi feeling comfortable around him as it was.

**x**

When Minato had strolled determinately up to the Hokage days ago telling the old man he was taking Kakashi to live with him in his apartment, Sarutobi hadn't said a thing. The man only nodded knowingly, an expecting smile on his face. The only difference was that Minato found himself coming up to the Hokage Towers more often now, instead of weekly visits, to report to the Village Leader about Kakashi's wellbeing.

Minato didn't mind, knowing the Hokage only wanted to ensure that the boy was improving in health. And once the Kakashi was settled in, they would spread out the reports as it was before. And frankly, the increased reports were a good thing; Minato didn't know who else he could've turned to when the craziness that ' _Kakashi had a summon!'_ cropped up. But the Hokage quickly assured Minato that he'd already been informed of Pakkun from both Sakumo and Jiraiya, stating it was nothing to worry about – although there was an odd look of wariness underneath the old man's serene posture, faint and wispy like it had been lingering there since that first day he'd been informed Kakashi's new talent.

Nevertheless, the Hokage only told Minato to keep his eyes open and continue to give his reports on Kakashi as usual. That was simple enough; Minato really didn't mind watching and talking about the little masked boy in his care. He enjoyed Kakashi's company, enjoyed trying to make the boy lighten up to him, and enjoyed telling others how cute he was. … But what he didn't enjoy was that with every meeting, Minato was continuously reminded of just how distant the boy was to him.

Sure they were living together now, but Kakashi was so independent. Really, there never seemed to be a need for Minato to be there at all.

"Have the two of you been getting along well?" Sarutobi asked politely as soon as the secretary ushered Minato into the office.

"The same," the blond answered ruefully.

Sarutobi could see the glum state Minato was in, not that the blond tried hard to hide it. In a matter of months, the old man could see Minato's parental love for Kakashi was growing tremendously, and Minato was so eager to be a good guardian to the boy. But it was obvious Kakashi hadn't responded to his love; the Hatake was always a bit on the stoic side. Still, the Hokage wasn't certain if Kakashi just wasn't as expressive as Minato had expected, or perhaps he'd already frozen his little heart due to his father's actions.

"Maybe I shouldn't have forced him to live with me?" Minato said hesitantly when Sarutobi didn't answer.

The old man shook his head at the idea. "No, that was the right move. Kakashi," the Hokage explained softly, "needs guidance. Especially in the dark times he's in now."

"Yes, but if he doesn't like living with me and he's only staying because he feels obliged to," Minato interrupted, "then wouldn't that be worse?"

The old man took a puff on his pipe before looking over at his shinobi. "What makes you think Kakashi wants to leave?" he asked curiously.

Minato rubbed a hand through his blond hair, letting out a miserable sigh. "He doesn't spend time in the Complex at all. I mean, I don't expect him to stay at the apartment for the whole day," the blond corrected, "but I only ever see him for breakfast, and he disappears completely until dinner. When I ask him where he's been, he just shrugs it off or gives me blatant excuses." Minato rubbed a weary hand over his eyes. "If that doesn't say that he doesn't want me around him, then I don't know what does."

The Hokage considered the problem critically before shaking his head. "Perhaps he only wants time to himself," Sarutobi suggested. "Kakashi has always been quite independent, and perhaps thinks he shouldn't bother you with his problems?"

"But maybe if Kakashi  _really_  doesn't want me around-" Minato wanted to complain, but the Hokage interrupted him before he could start.

"The boy, as you've likely heard from Jiraiya and Sakumo, is a prodigy. It is a little known fact, but Kakashi is perhaps the greatest genius in Konoha of this current generation." The old man shook his head. "I fear, with all that has happen, the boy will not be able to keep a clear mind and do something he might regret. Kakashi is still young, and to lose someone so important to him so suddenly, his mind might not be able to accept it and he may be susceptible to suggestions from the wrong people." He let out a sigh, sadden by what he was going to say next.

"You are no doubt aware the villagers of Konoha have not been sparing to Sakumo after his 'disgrace', don't you Minato? If someone tried to turn Kakashi against this village or certain people, their manipulations might actually succeed if the boy is alone and vulnerable with his mental state as it is right now. The fact that you are willing to be by Kakashi's side shows him that he is not alone, that he's still loved."

"Maybe I'm not the right person for this job?" Minato asked. He wanted to be the right person – he wanted to help Kakashi so badly – but if the boy didn't like him...

The Hokage shook his head. "You, Minato, I trust immensely because you truly care for Kakashi. The fact that you are coming to me with these fears show how much you wish for him to be happy. Make sure Kakashi knows your feelings, and save the boy's heart before it is no longer possible."

The blond looked away, staring out the window, trying to imagine coming home to a smiling Kakashi, but all that was continuously flashing to mind was Kakashi's dark, eerie eyes, covered with a thick layer of pain. He wanted to save the boy, he honestly did, but could he really do it?

"Never forget that Kakashi is only a child, Minato," The Hokage stated as he watched the Jounin before him debate furiously with himself.

"I know," Minato responded distractedly. He nodded to himself as he heard the Hokage dismiss him, still unfocused, but feeling a smidgen better knowing the Hokage had so much trust that it would all work out in the end. The blond left the office with his mind filled with troubling thoughts, never noticing the ceramic masked shinobi slipping off from somewhere close by, heading the opposite direction. Never knowing that man was going to give his report to a third party.

Minato didn't know he had to be cautious of Danzou and his "disbanded" Root just yet, but eventually, Minato would learn. Because Danzou loved prodigies; especially young, untrained orphans he could mould to his liking.

* * *

 

 

_Chapter 34: Uncertainty_

Despite having a child to care for now, Minato was a Konoha shinobi first and foremost. So, it didn't surprise Kakashi the slightest when the blond was called to the Hokage Tower for a mission not soon after Kakashi was finally settled in Minato's apartment.

Although, to be honest, Kakashi hadn't expected to be called along with Minato for the pre-mission briefing as well.

As Kakashi made his way towards the Hokage's office with Minato by his side, they boy allowed his mind to drift off, trying to remember all he knew about the missions Minato had once been deployed on. But it was to no avail; this was long before the six-year-old boy of decades ago actually had cared about the blond, had actually paid attention to Minato outside of the man's role as team commander. Well, Kakashi certainly cared now, and his lack of knowledge was beginning to diminish Kakashi's appreciation of his previous child-self even more than it had before. Even if the Kakashi of that time had been so bent on keeping the world around him at a distance, that was no excuse for him to be so self-absorbed and uncaring – especially towards Minato who always had so blatantly held Kakashi's wellbeing in the forefront of his mind. The least his past-child could have done was take note of his sensei's health from the missions he went on.

Now, in this present time, Kakashi had absolutely no idea how Minato's mission would turn out (assuming that he  _did_  have this same missions as before) other than the fact that he would survive. This ignorance of his was making Kakashi's stomach flip, and it only increased as the clock ticked away, closer and closer to Minato's designated departure time.

In the Hokage Tower, the two of them reached the Hokage's doors easily, and was led inside just as quick. "Minato. Kakashi," the Hokage greeted as soon as the two walked through.

"Hokage-sama." They bowed in unison.

The Hokage had clearly been waiting for their arrival, as the stacks of unfiled papers on his desk were pushed aside to avoid obstructing his view from his incoming visitors. The old man's eyes watched as the two made their way into the office, eyes lingering contemplatively on both of them. Kakashi stood patiently by Minato's side, wondering the importance of his own presence in the office, as Sarutobi took a puff of his pipe before getting onto business. The Hokage's eyes seemed to focus directly on Kakashi as the man spoke in a voice that bordered soothing and apologetic, "Now, Kakashi, Minato, I know the two of you are just getting to know one another, but I'm afraid, Kakashi, I will have to pull your guardian for a mission."

Kakashi dipped his head into a nod. "I understand," the boy responded immediately, conditioned throughout the years to answer promptly to the Village Leader's direct orders without too much question. Kakashi watched as the Hokage looked consideringly over at him, as if expecting something more than Kakashi's quick acknowledgement. But the six-year-old had no clue what Sarutobi wanted. This situation was different from his past, from procedure, and Kakashi wasn't even familiar with what a normal six-year-old in his position would actually think. Minato was standing anxiously beside him, trying to channel feelings of placidity over at the younger boy. Clearly the blond knew what was going on, so, Kakashi supposed, it had to do with him. "I don't need a babysitter," Kakashi tried, because Minato seemed like someone without a lot of connection with child caretakers, and who knows, maybe he couldn't find one?

"I'm not suggesting you do."

Kakashi furrowed his brow. If that wasn't the case… Kakashi tilted his head, looking thoughtful as he continued speaking, regardless of the confusion, directing his gaze over at Minato because he knew very well Minato had been the root of this meeting. "I realise that I may seem too young to be alone, but your worries are unfounded. I can take care of myself; it wouldn't be the first time. I've always taken care of myself when my father left for missions in the past." Kakashi paused suddenly as his own words sunk in. _Oh._  Suddenly Kakashi knew exactly what this whole meeting was about.

_Sakumo's last mission._

"What resulted from your father's mission…" the Hokage softly began when Kakashi held quiet for much too long.

Kakashi clenched a hand tightly beside his thigh. "Yes sir," Kakashi interrupted abruptly. He wasn't sure what he was ' _yes_ '-ing to, but he just didn't want that sentence to continue anymore that it already had.

Minato twitched discreetly beside him, letting his arm brush over Kakashi's shoulder. Kakashi loosened his body, even though it hadn't been obviously tense to begin with, giving the blond a small smile in response. During this, Sarutobi looked away, undoubtedly giving the two a moment of family time, before he turned back to Kakashi a minute later. The old man spoke unassumingly, "I understand if you are wary missions, or Minato taking part in missions, but the chances of what had occurred and grown so unjustifiably repeating once more … Please, child, be at ease that such things won't happen to you again."

Kakashi could hear the Hokage choosing his words carefully, trying to curve his words so it they would not be a lie. Kakashi knew as well as Sarutobi did that people did not change overnight; if the same choice fell on another shinobi as it had to his father and the shinobi chose the same route, the results would've led to vilification as quickly as it once had. The truth about humans was that they were so damn unreasonable.

Kakashi closed his eyes, letting out a low breath. "I know, Hokage-sama," he said, because Sarutobi was trying his best to comfort whatever dread that the six-year-old was supposed to have without explicitly lying, and lingering on the fact that the Hokage was slipping unfairly through his promises with carefully worded assurances would have been impudent. "I know," Kakashi said once more, because he honestly knew  _so much_. He knew there was a low probability of it happening again. He knew Sarutobi was as worried for him as Minato was. He knew he was acting too odd for a six-year-old, which only feed to Minato and Sarutobi's concern for his mental health. But above all, what Kakashi also knew was that should, on the off chance, he'd somehow affected the future enough that it  _did_  lead to the result that the Hokage thought Kakashi was scared of, Kakashi's spirit would break and wither away until this second chance was nothing more than hell on earth for him.

A part of Kakashi's brain was certain he was only overreacting, but by this point his nerves were pulled taut into a strained tenseness that wouldn't relax, always mixing in a taint of fear with every idea that crossed his mind. Kakashi felt stuck in the middle of his so-called adventure, not sure if he'd changed enough for the future to diverge into a second path, or not enough so that the future he once knew was still somewhat on course – supposing that he  _could_ change the future, that was. And wasn't that last point just so damn infuriating?

Perhaps a majority of Kakashi's fear was actually coming from the nightmare that he wouldn't be able to do anything to fix the future when he needed to the most. Despite the small nudges Kakashi had tried to direct the course of his future, he still hadn't gotten proof that events to come were not set in stone.

Life was becoming confusing with so much uncertainty flowing in from the multiple presents  _and_ pasts, unlike the life he once had when the idea of time-travel had been so unthinkable to him.

Sarutobi was looking at Kakashi again while the boy had allowed his thoughts to roll off into numerous tangents. The old man's face was slowly pulling back into concern, like he was certain Kakashi was still in a ball of terror of what could happen to Minato on his next mission. Kakashi shook his head clear, finishing his sentence, "I know Minato is a shinobi of Konoha, and I have no reason to nor will I get in the way of his mission." It was barely anything similar to what had truly been floating through his mind, but Kakashi wanted to head towards the less depressing route of conversation if possible.

The Hokage held to Kakashi's gaze, preferring to see for himself the certainty of Kakashi's words, rather than hear Kakashi's half-truths. Kakashi held his face passive and his posture straight, trying not to let his unease flit through for the world to see. There was a silence before the old man sighed. He didn't seem as though he liked all that he saw on Kakashi's face. "Perhaps you do," Sarutobi began in a voice that gently suggested otherwise, letting his sentence hang. He let out a short sigh when Kakashi's expression didn't change. "Very well, then." He turned towards the blond. "Minato, you will join your team to set off tomorrow oh-five-hundred sharp."

"Yes'sir," Minato replied accordingly, but his cerulean eyes were on Kakashi, much like Sarutobi's own were.

Kakashi shot them both a strong smile, stretching obviously across his mask. The Hokage softened his gaze. "Kakashi, you know you are allowed in my office whenever you wish to speak to me, don't you?" the man asked.

"Thank you, sir," Kakashi answered. But his fears were nothing the Hokage could know of – not yet.

The Hokage nodded, "Very well." The old man tilted his head, giving Kakashi an informal dismissal as two Jounin entered the room at the same moment. "If you don't mind waiting outside a little while, Kakashi," Sarutobi said, "I will send Minato out as soon as I finish briefing his team." Kakashi nodded, turning on his heel. As he left the room, Kakashi could still feel the old Hokage's eyes lingering worriedly on his back, but Kakashi held strong.

**x**

Kakashi woke up early to see Minato off the next day. The blond hadn't said much the day before, perhaps accepting the judgement of the Hokage to be more accurate than what he knew himself about Kakashi and kids' temperament in general. Kakashi was grateful for it since he knew that the moment Minato started to voice any of his worries, Kakashi wasn't sure if the dam of fear he kept locked up so tightly in his chest would be able to hold, because everything that was making him restless at the moment revolved around that dear man.

The two of them were standing by the Village Gates at the present moment. Kakashi could see Minato talking to him – or rather,  _at_  him, really; Kakashi wasn't paying his words any heed. Kakashi was sure Minato knew of his inattentiveness, but the blond continued talking regardless; he was certain Minato was doing it for his sake, hoping his voice would salve the boy's wounded fears.

"Kakashi?" Minato nudged gently, breaking from his longwinded rambling.

Kakashi's eyes flickered upwards. "Ah, nothing," he said plainly. Minato studied the little boy in front of him with cerulean eyes narrowed into a frown, but he soon continued whatever topic he had been previously talking about, when Kakashi didn't budge and only kept a tighter hold on his internal qualms.

It wasn't Kakashi's fault he felt so paranoid about the future. Kakashi didn't know what to do; Minato, as the future dictated, would do fine on his own. But the problem he kept coming back to circled around same questions: Kakashi hadn't tried to change anything major, but what  _was_  major? What did one consider to be  _major_? How did he know that just by being in Minato's life so early, he hadn't already changed Minato's fate of this mission? How sure was Kakashi that Minato wasn't going to  _die_?

Maybe if Kakashi hadn't gone through the second loss of his father, he wouldn't have been this worried, because now, Kakashi saw what his so-called confidence was like. He'd been sure Sakumo was going to be fine (and yes, maybe he started to feel a bit nervous near the end, but under that, he'd honestly thought he'd already directed the future to a different branch on that Tree of Life with its multiple limbs that spread through all the world's possibilities) but Kakashi had been wrong about that. This time, Kakashi didn't know how strongly he could say he was 'sure' Minato would be fine, because he wasn't sure about anything anymore. And what was worse, he was starting to feel nervous like he had before his father's end - but this time more so due to his inability to trust the ever-shifting timeline, than anything - but still, look where that ended up when he ignored it. Kakashi didn't want to lose another member of his family from carelessness.

 _Never_  again.

In the end, when Minato left, his motions were stiff and hesitant, continuously glancing back at the young boy bidding his guardian good luck. The two Jounin beside Minato arched their eyebrows at the blond's endearing actions, but the man never noticed, too fixated on his dear charge. Despite the slow beginning to the journey, the three Jounin eventually disappeared into the horizon. And by that time, Kakashi had made up his mind.

Dropping a clone with just the slightest puff of a smoky breeze, Kakashi slipped silently after the departing group. The two gate watchers never noticed a thing, because honestly, who expects anyone to sneak  _out_  of the Village?

* * *

_Chapter 35: Copy-cat_

It was supposed to be a simple recon mission.

Konoha had gotten word that the hostility between Hidden Leaf and Hidden Rock was only getting worse. There was growing certainty that the beginnings of another war was ready to sprout amidst their crumbling relationship (not that there ever had been one in the first place).

Minato and his team were despatched to find evidence for such claims of a possible war. Team Minato, as the Hokage called them, were made up of what was once Team Jiraiya. The other two Jounin on the blond's team, the brunette haired kunoichi Yuki with her distinct red hair-band, and Toshi who'd been teased as a kid for looking every bit like a monk, were Minato's old cell mate back when they were all Genin. The three of them got along and worked well with each other.

Minato never expected anything to go wrong on this mission with them by his side. But then again, when was  _anything_  ever simple?

**x**

Their first mistake was stumbling onto an enemy camp not too far from Iwa. They'd seen the signs of a camp nearby when the three of them had first crossed the woods in that area, but none had expected the traps to be set in such a large radius.

A sort of silent alarm had likely been tripped, for Team Minato had no warning until they suddenly detected faint chakra signals approaching them in alarming speeds. There were three of them, Minato noted immediately, and glances over at Yuki and Toshi showed that they were equally aware.

As they suspected, not a heartbeat later, three Iwa nin suddenly appeared before them, weapons drawn. "Well well, sneaking into our land, Konoha-nin?" a man laughed, his Rock headband glinting under the sunlight.

That was all the preamble Team Minato received before a flurry of weapons were exchanged. The Konoha team retaliated equally as vicious, holding the competition steady, refusing to give in even an inch. And then the Rock ninjas got down to business. " _Doton: Doryūheki_  (Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall)" one of the Iwa-nin cried, hands flying into seals.

A slab of earth rose from the ground, carrying the enemy up until he was leveled with the forest behind him. From their position on the ground, looking up at the man, Minato, Yuki, and Toshi had to squint into the sunlight to make out the man's movements – it was a dire disadvantage. The area behind the enemy nin was unlike the clearing they had been lead into while exchanging kunai and shuriken; it was dense with trees, lining up behind the Iwa-nin like a natural defense from rear attacks.

Team Minato could only dash to the sides to avoid staring directly into the sunlight, but the Iwa-nin's two other comrades were already there ready to corner them back in.

It was significantly harder to dodge now, between the approaching two enemies and the one towering over them pelleting the ground below with any sharp implements he had on hand.

But they hadn't been promoted to Jounin for nothing; they could get out of this predicament quite easily with a quick bit of teamwork. "I'll take care of this," Yuki grinned, sharing a glance over to Minato who nodded briefly. " _Suiton: Takitsubo no Jutsu_  (Water Release: Waterfall Basin Technique)." A rush of water, like a tsunami wave, spat out towards the other two Rock nin who were amidst cornering Team Minato towards the slab of earth wall in a sort of triangular barrier, driving the enemy the other direction.

Minato immediately jumped onto his teammate's jutsu, running along the flow of water in a practiced movement. His cerulean eyes were focused intently on his targets, even as a corner of his mind started to worry about the tactics used against them. It was rather odd, Minato noted the second he thought about it, that the first ninja was doing nothing other than throwing sharp projectiles down at them. True the Iwa-nin was at an advantage with his elevated position, and that more times than not he was a more than a worthy distraction to worry about while also actively trying to avoid the other two enemy - Team Minato already been more than scratched up due to him -, but that Iwa-nin seemed to be doing so  _little_  to help his comrades. Especially now while Yuki was successfully pushing the other two back.

Nearing his targets, the blond cleared his mind and allowed his focus to return entirely back on the battle in front him, dropping his curiosity for the moment. Minato clutched his right arm with his other hand, gathering chakra into a spinning swirl. Without warning, Minato spun sharply towards one of the two. The Rock ninja threw up thick, metal tonfas, which had been previously hidden on his person, into a defensive cross in front of him in the same quick moment to block the attack; he'd held them quite clumsily, likely because he'd not been expecting the blond to form a jutsu so quickly, but they were in place to bare the brute of the attack nevertheless.

" _Rasengan_ ," Minato murmured under his breath as he thrust his hand forwards.

Minato had finished this particular jutsu a couple months ago, and this seemed like a good place to test it in actual battle. He needed to work out the last little imperfections of it before moving on to the next stages he had planned for the technique, anyways. Minato watched carefully to the damage his spiralling sphere made, watching as the Iwa-nin's tonfas cracked and shattered like they weren't even there to begin with, flinging the man back in an impressive speed.

Cerulean eyes flickered towards his left, fixing his sights on the second shinobi before the first man had even hit the ground. The other enemy was already flipping through a long series of hand seal in anticipation of the  _Rasengan_  by this point. He finished it just in time.

The two jutsu struck head on, a burst of chakra swelling in the surround air as raw energies collided. There was a momentary struggle, but Minato's  _Rasengan_  was a dense sphere of chakra, bursting with supressed potential energy – its power was by far greater than the jutsu the Iwa-nin had performed. Like his partner, the second Rock ninja was thrown backwards into the ground.

For a mere second, Minato felt satisfaction bloat in his chest, but that dissipated just as quickly as a sudden harsh yell from behind had Minato whipping his head back around towards his teammates before he could confirm his opponent was indeed out of the battle.

The scene before him had the blond cursing under his breath. Thoughts and momentarily forgotten suspicions whirled back to life at the sight. The two he'd fought had been merely distraction, Minato's mind concluded tersely, seeing two new Iwa ninjas standing where the defeated two had previously been before Yuki had forced them back. These two quickly completed the triangular earth wall barrier around Yuki and Toshi like they had originally planned to in the beginning. The very first Iwa-nin they'd fought was still there, sitting on the earth wall he'd built, grinning viciously down on the Konoha-nin.

This was what he was waiting for, Minato realised abruptly.  _It was a trap from the very beginning._

Shinobi – or rather intelligent shinobi - didn't waste time with villainous monologues of revealing their tricks, gloating over their captive. After all, a ninja could do a lot in a second, and a fight was not over until the enemy breathed their final breath. But Minato didn't need the Rock nin to revel in their failures anyways; the battle field spoke for itself.

The two new Iwa shinobi had been hidden underground the whole time, emerged the moment Minato stepped away from the group. The blond was almost surprised none of them realised them hiding there, but that explained the opening of the battle and how easily the three initial Iwa-nin allowed themselves to be detected as they approached Team Minato. The first three Rock ninja had deliberately supressed their chakra ineptly, compelling Team Minato to focus their attention on them while two others, properly supressing their chakra, sneaked into the battle field without anyone being the wiser. It was a plan to strike when the Leaf least expected it.

It was a brilliant strategy, Minato had to admit, but this was no time to be appreciating the enemy's tactics.

Minato leaped into action, pumping chakra into his legs to project himself back to his teammates. He didn't get far, as not soon he'd started moving, a small handful of shuriken from behind lodged into his legs. Minato stumbled back onto the ground, eyes flickering behind himself even as his hands moved to dislodge the throwing stars while absentmindedly appreciating the protection his coarse shinobi pants gave him. His cerulean eyes darkened when he realised the attack came from the Iwa ninja he'd thrown back just a little while ago; clearly Minato had underestimated the strength of the shinobi's jutsu in order for the  _Rasengan_ 's power to be cushioned enough for the other man to be still conscious.

The blond's eyes sought out his teammates for a quick second as he growled under his breath.  _He didn't have time for this!_

Minato twisted around, using his momentum to strengthen his punch as he lashed out towards the Iwa-nin who'd just gained on him. But that didn't hold him down for long.

And much, much too far away, the first Iwa nin was already performing his jutsu, and Minato was nowhere near to help. _"Doryū Shigure_  (Earth Showers)!" the low echo of the Rock-nin's voice resonanted through the trees. Sharp spikes of hardened earth shot towards the victims confined in the doryūheki. The attack poured down from all above them in a blindingly fast descent that promised no mercy.

Minato wasn't even close protect them, never mind making it there in time to stop it. "No!" Minato cried, trying not to let the sudden images of speared teammates cross his mind. But there was no way Yuki or Toshi could escape. Yuki had water affinity; it weak against earth, and she wouldn't be able to break through the earth barrier to escape in time. Toshi wasn't in a position any better than their kunoichi.

Minato tried to fight his way towards his teammates – his siblings, goddamit, because they'd been together since they were Genin, and he couldn't, couldn't let them down like this – but the showers of earth spears only took one ninja to perform, and the other two were already in front of him and leering in his face. Minato was outnumbered by three who took pleasure in blocking his way.

Minato swore desperately, hand clutching tightly to his kunai as he blocked rapid jabs his way. He slashed out, determined not to give in even as he was easily pushed back. Despite their hindering, Minato continuously persisted to push his way forward, even if it seemed so hopeless and futile and –

\- and the blond tried not to react as a shiver suddenly shot down his spine at the feeling of concentrated chakra erupting by the earth cell, air crackling as though dense with electricity.

There was something oddly familiar about the feeling, but Minato pushed the thought aside, merely appreciating that little detail of familiarity as the reason why he'd snapped out of his surprise a second sooner than the enemy nin had - and that was a fact Minato took full advantage of.

The blond quickly disarmed one of the Iwa-nin while flinging another head-first into the earth wall cell they were guarding. Minato could only allow himself a quick peak at the situation over there, knowing the other two ninja wouldn't spare him anymore time before attacking, but it was enough time to see a flash of red darting into a freshly crumbled piece of wall and retreating out with Yuki and Toshi in tow.

The next thing he knew, a leg blocked his vision, causing the blond to jump backwards – but not before throwing a kunai at them.

The Iwa-nin ducked under it. "Missed," the man crooned. And then he was thrown off balance as the discreetly attached explosive tags went off.

Minato set a sharp jab to the back of the man's neck rendering him unconscious before turning to the next one, hand forming seals even as he turned. " _Fūton: Daitoppa_ (Wind Release: Great Breakthrough)," the blond cried, letting blades of wind lash bitingly into the enemy's skin as it pushed him backwards. Before the Iwa ninja realised it, Minato rushed in, speed aided by the wind, piercing an array of kunai through the other ninja's back as he rushed by.

There was a solemn thud as the man dropped to the ground, but Minato paid it little heed, focus already frantically turning towards where his two teammates laid. He smelled blood, and lots of it, and if either Yuki or Toshi were dead… Minato pushed the thought to the side, carefully ignoring the strangling coil around his stomach at the idea as he continued to rush towards the two.

Minato's eyes sharpen into a critical gaze as he took in the sights that behold him.

Yuki and Toshi were out of the earth cell, breathing heavily and slumped together. They were bleeding though an alarming amount of punctured wounds, but nothing seemed too bad from Minato's current perspective. An unknown ninja with a blindingly bright red scarf around his face, stood defensively over them. Off to the side, Minato recognised the Iwa shinobi who he had flung over at the earth walls a little while ago, except now, he was covered with senbon. The man probably hadn't stayed unconscious from Minato's attack and had gotten up again to attack the unknown ninja, only to be killed permanently this time.

The scarfed ninja was currently facing off the Iwa-nin who had been the first to engage with Team Minato. This Rock ninja seemed like the leader of the group, now that Minato observed more carefully, noting the display of strength the man possessed that exceeded the level of the grunts he had been fighting off. The scarfed ninja seemed on par with him, but Minato could see a wound, harsh and deep, sliced in the front of his chest, slowing down the man's movements as the wound undoubtedly stun with his every action.

Minato rushed over to them with every inch of speed he possessed, hand already gathering chakra along the way. The scarfed ninja spared a quick glance at his glowing hand before jumping out of the way, behind the Iwa-nin to trap the enemy into Minato's direct line of attack.

For a second the remaining standing Iwa-nin looked like he was ready to turn around and escape through the seemingly safer route past the scarfed ninja, but then that scarfed ninja's hand started glowing as well, just as frighteningly as Minato's  _Rasengan_. Minato felt the stinging pricks of lightning chakra accumulating as the other man concentrated the energy into an oddly similar ball of chakra, much like his own. After that, it took not even a minute to dispose of the remaining shinobi, trapped as he was between the two.

The moment the Iwa-nin dropped, Minato turned towards the other man. He kept his  _Rasengan_  still swirling in his hand and his wary eyes fixed on the tell-tale contractions of the other man's muscles. Truthfully, Minato couldn't keep his  _Rasengan_  up for much longer, but the other man didn't need to know of his fatigue.

But either way, there was no confrontation; the scarfed ninja only dropped his hands in response to Minato's careful scrutiny, letting the lightning ball abruptly fizz out of existence.

Minato contemplated for a second about keeping his jutsu up, for intimidation's sake, but there really was no point. The scarfed ninja seemed oddly compliant, and frankly, there was an old unspoken practice on laying down weapons when the other party had already done so – especially towards those who had yet to cause him (or his village) any harm.

Watching the scarfed ninja closely, the sunshine blond slowly let his own jutsu disperse in a slow manner, everything in his attitude saying that he was more than willing to form it again if the other man tried anything suspicious. The scarfed man didn't look too bothered from the hostility Minato showed him; honestly, he seemed to expect it, actually.

Minato slid up closer to the other man, his mind already categorising all he could about the unknown threat. His height was on par with Minato's own, as the blond stared eye-to-eye with the other man. His skin was pale, even more so, sandwiched between hair as dark as night, and a scarf so blindingly crimson. He had sinewy muscles that spoke of training, on a somewhat broad figure. "So, who might you be?" Minato asked in a casual tone.

As casual as Minato's voice sounded, the scarfed man seemed to know better than to trust it, as the man seemed to visibly force his posture to relax and appear harmless. "They call me the Copy-cat Ninja," the man said nonchalantly, after what appeared to be a second of consideration.

It was a named that seemed to come from nowhere. "Who is 'they'?" Minato demanded.

"Well, you know,  _they_ ," the man reiterated, after a moment's pause.

"I've never heard of anyone called 'the Copy-cat Ninja'."

There was a hint of amusement in the man's tone that contrasted the sad shadow that suddenly cast over the Copy-cat Ninja's eyes as he spoke next. "Yes, well, you're behind times," he said idly. There was a pause. "Or maybe I may be too far ahead," the man muttered to himself much quieter. The man's voice was beginning to waver and his breathing was becoming more laboured by the minute. But even so, Minato could make out the anxious significance that the man seemed to hold to those words.

"Is that so?" Minato responded, his voice holding cautious indifference. The blond's cerulean eyes lowered, unable to help himself staring at the bleeding stomach wound the man before him was sporting.

Red-stained gloves clasped tighter over it in response to Minato's gaze. "Now, if you'll excuse me." The man turned around, shoulder tensed in a bunch.

"Wait," Minato started, feet already taking long strides towards the scarfed man. His hand was open, ready to grab him, hold him, lock him into submission until the man revealed who he was, or what his goals were. The bleeding shinobi's pleading eyes as he rotated his body and turned his head back to look at Minato, despite how much that  _had_  to hurt with his stomach wound, gave Minato a pause.

"Do me a favour; check on your teammates. I hope they're alright."

The blond Jounin had a feeling that wasn't the favour the other shinobi actually wanted. His dark eyes had said it all when he had glanced back at Minato: " _Let me go; I won't do any harm."_

Minato was a fool for pausing at that look. Minato was going to be a fool for believing him. And yet he did. How could Minato not, after the man rescued his teammates from what had so nearly had been their inevitable end? The man had done  _nothing_  against Konoha or his team. (or at least,  _not yet)_

"Fine." At the blond's begrudging nod, the Copy-cat ninja slowly slipped into the trees, traveling cautiously away from the battle ground as he clutched onto his bleeding wound. Minato knew he had plenty of chances to subdue to man, but he also knew the other man would've fought tooth and nail to escape if it came to that. Even with his  _Rasengan_ , that startlingly chilling ball of lightening chakra the Copy-cat had in his arsenal was a frightening jutsu to go up against. And coupled with the reason that he'd just saved two Leaf ninjas? Letting the man go seemed like the best option at the time.

Giving only a sparing glance at the man's retreating back as it disappeared into the trees, Minato turned away (never fully leaving his back open in case he'd judged the man wrong, of course) and kneeled besides his fallen (and thankfully still breathing) comrades, bandages already spilling from his hands.

**x**

Kakashi dropped his  _henge_  the moment his feet touched Konoha soil. He didn't know what happened after he'd left Minato, but Kakashi knew he couldn't linger around if he wanted to have enough time to limp all the way back to Konoha without leaving bloody tracks in his wake, and sneak back to his room. Getting through the fence that surrounded Konoha wasn't too difficult; Kakashi had twenty-so years of knowledge of Village security, and it wasn't hard to recall security holes that he knew wouldn't be fixed until sometime in the future.

Kakashi was glad to remember that Minato's teleportation technique was yet to be perfected, when the boy managed to crawl into his room and slam his door shut in time, just moments before a hastily formed clone he'd situated near the proper Gate Entrance dispersed, informing him of Minato's arrival back to Konoha.

Minato, like Kakashi had expected him to, made a quick detour to the Namikaze Complex the movement he checked in. It wasn't proper procedure, per say, but then again, no rule said Minato  _couldn't._ The blond quickened his pace back home, hoping to be able to spare the time to give Kakashi a quick ' _hello, I'm home'_  before going back to debrief the mission. He hoped it would give the boy a peace of mind in case Kakashi was worried for Minato after what happened with his father.

When he got to the building, the apartment was cold and dark. Fear tugged at the blond's heart.

"Kakashi?" he called out into the dark, unlit apartment. "Kakashi?" A soft, muffled groan caught the man's ears as he edged closer to the young silver-haired boy's room. He knocked nervously on the door. "I'm back from my mission. Are you home, Kakashi?" he asked softly, anxiety building with every quiet second.

Before Minato did anything drastic, like breaking the door down, a sharp tone finally hissed out. "I'm here, I'm fine. Welcome home. ...now go away."

Minato froze at the voice. "You sound a bit …"  _Frigid? Irate?_  But he couldn't say that to the boy.

"Don't you have to report to the Hokage?" the strained voice called out once more from the other side on the door.

Minato was suddenly hyperaware of himself and just how strongly of blood he was reeking of, as the scent seemed to fill the whole house. Was the smell bothering Kakashi, Minato wondered? Was it reminding him too much of his father, and was that why he was so harshly trying to get Minato to leave? The blond desperately tried to push away the thought that Kakashi'd been like this  _before_ he'd enter, because Minato wanted every excuse he could get. Minato couldn't stand it if Kakashi hated him.

"Kakashi, I-" Minato tried to begin, before the boy's insistent voice call out once more.

" _Please_ go away, I'm … sleeping." Minato glance out the window, noting it was  _just_  evening. There was a pause. "Come back tomorrow," Kakashi's low voice finally said when the blond didn't move from his doorway.

With a reluctant nod, and a heavy heart, Minato eventually left for the hospital where his teammates had been dismissed towards. He tried to cast this event from his mind, determined to focus on the mission again, like the professional shinobi he was. But honestly, Minato was only human, and Kakashi's actions left a sharp, sharp pain in his chest.

 


	8. 36-40

 

  
_Chapter 36:_ _Resemblance_   


Shoving unrelated problems to the back of his mind, Minato tried to recall his focus on the mission as he entered the Hokage's office. He'd hurried to the Hokage Tower as soon as he had dismissed his team from the hospital to rest up, insisting that he would be fine alone to give the Hokage a general overview of their mission before they wrote up the mission report later. At his admittance into the office, Minato bowed with a "Hokage-sama," on his lips.

The blond's voice held a steady tone, but every time Minato thought of Yuki and Toshi, thought of how easily he could've lost his old cell-mates, his heart lurched painfully in his chest. Every thought revolved around the fact that if it weren't for that scarfed ' _They call me the Copy-cat Ninja,'_  he would've had to come home alone, bringing back solemn news to their families.

The Hokage seemed to sense Minato's attention slipping, so he cleared his throat loudly and got straight to the point. "What happened on the mission, Minato?" he probed.

The blond closed his eyes. "The mission started out fine," Minato began slowly. The 'but' could be heard even before he said it, "but then we ran into trouble near Hidden Rock. There was a camp – we never realised they had the place so securely trapped – and they detected us before we even expected it."

Minato told the Hokage of the battle, every little advantage and blunder his team had made. When he then made it to the part where his teammates almost died, Minato buried his head into his hand, rubbing at it like he was trying to erase the memories away. "I heard Toshi cry out. Yuki and Toshi, they were stuck in that earth cell the Iwa-nin had made and I was too far away to help, let alone to get them out; especially not with the other three ninjas trying to keep me away. I wasn't even any closer to them when I heard the Iwa-nin cry out his _Doryū Shigure_  (Earth Showers) technique."

Gruesome flashes of skewered teammates flickered behind Minato's eyes. In the end it hadn't happened, but the sights, spurred by his imagination at hearing Yuki and Toshi's pained screams wouldn't go away. "I was losing hope that I would make it in time to save them," Minato confessed to the Hokage. Minato had been previously trying to work on the Second Hokage's  _Flying Thunder God Technique_  before this whole mission began, but he's stuck it on the back burner in favour of his  _Rasengan_  which was down to its final stages already. Minato couldn't help but wonder how the battle would've turned out if he  _hadn't_  pushed it aside and had worked on the  _Hiraishin_ instead. Perhaps he might have gotten it down by this time? Perhaps he would've been able to use it and would've gotten to his teammates, unlike how stuck and utterly useless he ended up? "I was losing all hope, and then that was when _he_ appeared - the ' _Copy-cat Ninja'_."

The rest of the story was almost a blur to Minato. All he remembered was feeling frantic, desperately hoping his friends were still alive. Minato could recall flashes of brilliant red from the Copy-cat's scarf from the glimpses he'd caught whenever he managed to spare a glance their way. Then there was also the constant prickling on his skin from a discharge of electricity sparking in the air from the other man's devastatingly strong jutsu.

"He was so..." Minato fumbled at a loss of words, "I didn't know who he was, but when he suddenly appeared with his lightening chakra screaming at our senses, for an odd second I felt like I  _recognised_ it, as unbelievable as that sounds. And then without a word, he saved them. Saved  _us,"_ the blond finally managed out. Minato didn't mention how the shinobi got away; he had a feeling Sarutobi knew exactly how and why.

"Recognised, hmm?" The Hokage hummed thoughtfully before catching the blond's eyes into a serious stare. "Did he remind you of anyone?"

Minato remembered feeling too amazed, too overwhelmed, to even look at the man so critically other than taking note of his basic appearance. The man's features reminded him of no one he knew, but then again, half of it  _was_  covered by a scarf.

"Maybe," The outline of the pale face projected in Minato's mind. Those dark, haunted eyes reflected something so similar to the pain familiar blue-greys also carried. "… perhaps a bit like," The sturdy build of his twenty-or-so adult face, and sparking taste of the chakra seemed to niggle at something in Minato's memory, "like … Sakumo?"

Minato tried to pull up the image he had of his late friend the last time he saw him alive, and compared it to the unknown ninja. Yes, it  _was_  somewhat similar. If Minato removed the scarf, lengthen and coloured his black-hair silver, the man was almost a near splitting image. There were some discrepancies like the man's younger age, and his leaner muscle tone, but he was much too similar to Sakumo to disregard, Minato noted. There was an undeniable closeness underlying the man's appearance that Minato couldn't unsee now that he's realised it.

"Sakumo," Sarutobi repeated softly, gravely, like whispering into the wind. He leaned back on his chair, fingers curled around his pipe as he placed it on his lips.

"Correct, Hokage-sama."

The old man leaned forwards again, staring deep into Minato's cerulean eyes. "Were you aware Sakumo had contact with this man as well?"

Shock jolted through the Jounin as Minato stood stiffer, and eyes widened larger. "Did he look similar previously, or did he steal Sakumo's qualities to hide behind?" he asked. If Minato's voice sounded desperately urgent, the Hokage never commented, knowing the blond's need to know was more for Kakashi's sake than for mere curiosity.

"I'm afraid I never asked, and if Sakumo had noticed, he'd never commented on it," the Hokage said disappointedly. There was a moment like the old man was about to continue speaking before he'd closed his mouth, not to worry his Jounin with the information that Sakumo  _had_  given him. – like the fact that the unknown ninja had possibly been in contact with Kakashi. However, "Keep an eye out if Kakashi meets anyone you haven't met before," the Hokage cautioned.

Sharp blue eyes snapped upwards, "Is there suspicion the Copy-cat will try to interact with me … with us?"

"Concrete suspicion, no," the Hokage replied evenly, before pausing to collect his thoughts. "On the other hand, perhaps the proximity of the weeks between Kakashi's astounding summoning feat (eight on his  _first_  try, Jiraiya had muttered in disbelief) and the Copy-cat's first appearance had not been a mere coincidence," the Hokage mused softly to himself. The sentence had been too low for Minato to hear anything but snippets of mumbling, and the Hokage continued on in a louder commanding voice before Minato had a chance to string them into coherent sentences. "Twice this Copy-cat ninja has had contact with a Konoha team." The fact that he'd saved their lives both times could not be forgotten. _"_ I think it would be in Konoha's best interest to find him to question, oppose to the 'look out' warning we have on him currently." The old man looked up to catch the blond's eyes, "It will be drafted as a mission promptly, but until then, keep the knowledge to yourself." Sarutobi gave Minato a dismissing nod.

Minato dipped his head into a polite bow as he turned towards the door. The blond shuffled off slowly, lingered in the office for a moment – nothing too obviously, but the Hokage picked up on it right away. "Is there a problem?" Sarutobi asked gently, voice dropping back towards the loving grandpa spectrum now that the official business was over.

Minato gave the old man an embarrassed grimace, running a nervous hand through his blond hair, looking reluctant to bother the Hokage. There was only a slight moment's more of hesitation before the man finally gave in and asked. "It's just that," Minato began, "how … Do you know how Kakashi was when I was gone?" the man rushed out hastily.

The Hokage frowned thoughtfully, lifting the pipe out of his mouth. The old man studied his shinobi. "Is something the matter with young Kakashi?" Sarutobi asked.

The blond shuffled his feet, feeling like a nervous father. "He's refusing to see me," the man blurted out.

Sarutobi frowned at Minato's words, because honestly, they made no sense. Kakashi was not one to ignore people – at least not to his knowledge. "I've asked my Anbu to check up on Kakashi a few times while you were gone. They'd watched him from afar, mainly passing glances, but they have reported nothing wrong," the old man confessed, "Kakashi spent most of the time lounging at home." It was nothing that explained Kakashi's current attitude. "Are you certain he is not merely happy to see you back?"

Minato rolled the idea in his mind for a while, attempting to make it work because he loved that answer so much more than reality. However, he couldn't delude himself - especially when it wasn't true. "I don't believe so. Kakashi shut himself in his room, and … well, snapped at me to leave him alone and refused to come out. He  _did_  tell me to come back tomorrow, but somehow I have a sinking feeling tomorrow will be the same."

"I see. I would like to help, Minato, but I am unsure myself as to what brought on this behaviour," the Hokage answered, unable to give the blond a clearer insight to the problem.

Minato bowed deeply. "Thank you, Hokage-sama. Sorry to bother you." The blond turned around, heading for the door, mind clouded with miserable thoughts.

He'd asked the Hokage on the off chance the old man could shed some light onto Kakashi's sudden refusal to see him. He got what he wanted ... but not what he  _really_ wanted. He didn't want to hear how Kakashi spent the whole time in the apartment, when on a typical day, when Minato  _wasn't_  away on missions, the boy gladly spent his day everywhere  _except_. He didn't want to hear that there was no other reason for Kakashi to refuse to see him other than the fact that he just didn't want to.

It was a horrible wish to hope that perhaps something had happened to Kakashi while he was gone, forcing the boy to act this way. Were that the case, Minato would find relief in knowing that Kakashi's attitude was caused by external factors and  _not him_. But it wasn't _._ It  _was_ him, and … maybe Minato's wavering doubt had been right all along: Kakashi just really didn't like him.

Minato rubbed a hand across his weary eyes. "Tomorrow," he muttered to himself, "Maybe Kakashi will be fine tomorrow, coming out of his room with a happy smile, and this would've been all a silly misunderstanding." The man sighed, "Until then..." Minato would try to hold up his optimistic outlook until then.

* * *

_Chapter 37: Misery_

Kakashi groaned into his bedcovers, pressing his face into his pillow in pain. It was excruciating trying not to cry out in his discomfort as he suffered though self-stitching last night with the little medical equipment he'd horded away in his room. It was even worse when he had no access to any pain-killers - the aching refused to subside and it throbbed agonisingly every breath he took.

The second he'd managed to kick Minato out of the house yesterday, Kakashi had rushed to the bathroom, eager to wash away the dirt and grime on his wound before the blond came back. Only under the brightly lit bathroom did Kakashi realise how much deeper the wound was than he'd initially expected. Perhaps it had been due to adrenaline, but it hadn't hurt too badly when Kakashi rushed desperately home. He'd expected to be able to clean up the cut and hide it away before Minato arrived; that was why he'd already popped the clone he had subbing from him in Konoha when he reached the Village.

If Kakashi knew how much it would've started to hurt after his adrenaline rush wore off, or how little time he would've have to prepare before Minato appeared back in Konoha, Kakashi would've hidden away and let his clone deal with the blond instead of snapping at him like he had done the day before.

But what was done, was done. Now, Kakashi could only wish for his wound to stop hurting so damn much – and really, hoping wasn't getting him anywhere.

Kakashi was no medical ninja and no matter how much he wanted to be able to, he couldn't heal his own injuries as quickly and meticulously as Sakura or Tsunade-sama could. He had enough knowledge memorised to assess his wound, and he knew enough to patch it back up, but it would have to heal slowly on its own, unaided by healing chakra. Kakashi had Pakkun summoned beside him to help with the bandaging, but honestly, without opposable thumbs, all that Pakkun was good for was company - company that  _should've_  been Minato instead, if Kakashi hadn't carelessly gotten hurt.

Kakashi supposed he  _could_  leave his room if he honestly had to, but Kakashi knew he couldn't move around naturally - not without his breath hitching and his movements slow and favouring around his wound. Kakashi needed pain-killers in order to keep the pain to an ignorable level, but he couldn't raid Minato's medicine cupboard, and especially not without knowing if the man was paranoid enough to count his pills. Without them, however, Minato would notice something off with Kakashi immediately and the silver-haired boy couldn't have.

Knocking sounded from the entrance of his room. Kakashi hissed out as he shifted closer to the closed door, ready to slam it shut if Minato tried to open it. "Don't come in," Kakashi said immediately, trying to dispel Minato's decision before the man could even consider his choices. Kakashi knew it was selfish, but he hoped Minato would magnanimously listen to his order again, like he had last night.

In response to Kakashi's demand, there was silence on the other side of the door. For a second, Kakashi thought Minato had left before the man called out, "Won't you at least come out for breakfast?" in such a miserable, pleading tone, Kakashi almost wanted to agree to it just to cheer the man up, despite the horrible state he was in. Kakashi bit at his bottom lip, determined to stay quiet. "I've set your plate out on the kitchen table," Minato continued. The kid in Kakashi wanted to pull his legs up to his chest and bury his head against his knees at hearing how his own inexcusable attitude was affecting Minato, but Kakashi knew doing that would only aggravate his stomach wound so much more.

"If you're hungry, it's there," Minato's voice called out again, before slow, hesitant steps could be heard walking away from his room.

Kakashi stared longingly at the shut door. "I'm hungry," Kakashi grumbled out abruptly , staring down at his summon who'd been sitting beside him the whole time. "Growing children shouldn't be missing meals."

Pakkun rolled his eyes but understood his master's order immediately. "Alright, I'll go get it for you," the dog muttered.

Soft eyes thanked the summon nonverbally, as Kakashi gave Pakkun a quick scratch behind the ears. "Just … make sure Minato-sensei doesn't come into my room with you, okay?" the Jounin-turned-boy requested eying the dismal state the room was in, medical kit, clothes, and bandages, both soiled and clean, thrown across the ground.

"Clean up then," Pakkun said in a gruff, unamused voice.

Kakashi gritted his teeth into a pained grin. "Maybe after it stops hurting as much to move," he said, "Or maybe after there's less of a smell of blood and ointment in this room," the silver-haired boy added, moving to shove the window in his room even wider. He stared past his summon towards at the door, as if he could see through it and not just the wooden slab dividing the room. "I don't need Minato-sensei to worry about me," he whispered. He didn't mind having his sensei think he was a brat, but worry? No, he would not make the man worry, especially from a wound he couldn't even properly explain where he'd received from. What was worse was that this was not his adult body; his six-self-old self was still growing, and any injury he sustained needed to be carefully healed in order to avoid lasting damage that would haunt him later on in life – he couldn't ignore the signals his body sent his brain to stop moving around so much, unlike how he used to push his pain tolerance to the limit just to avoid showing discomfort.

Kakashi slowly reached over to the knob of his room door, nudging a crack open for Pakkun to slip through. The silver-haired boy watched as his summon plodded off before he let a frown grow on his face as he stared off into the distance. "Why didn't I send a clone like last time?" Kakashi murmured aloud to himself now that Pakkun wasn't around to hear. Kakashi only recalled feeling the urgency of the situation and his dread for the possibility of yet another detrimental mistake before he'd let his emotions fuel his actions. Kakashi had acted without thinking.

A part of him did realised that if he  _had_  sent a clone, the clone would've dispersed the moment the kunai pierced him, leaving Minato's teammate vulnerable to the Rock ninja who'd attacked. On the other hand, Kakashi also realised that if Minato hadn't conceded to let him go, his escape would've gone either way because Kakashi didn't want to test his luck in battle against the man who would one day be hailed as the Yondaime.

Kakashi tugged absentmindedly at the bandages around his torso, letting a sigh cross his lips. He knew it wasn't the first obvious mistake he'd made since coming back to the past, and Kakashi couldn't stop fearing and cringing at the idea that perhaps something a bit more than his physical age had regressed back to the age of six.

**x**

Minato didn't know what he did wrong. No amount of coaxing could get Kakashi out of his room. "Won't you at least come out for breakfast?" the blond had asked – begged, really – but it made no difference. "I've set your plate out on the kitchen table," he tried again.

There was no answer.

Minato sighed dejectedly, hand twitching to fling open the door of Kakashi's room, but where would that lead them? It would only make Kakashi hate him more. "If you're hungry, it's there," Minato finally said, letting his feet drag as he turned around with a heavy heart.

His own breakfast was eaten in peace. Minato knew he was being ridiculous because it was  _always_  in peace, but sound of Kakashi munching alongside with his own had always been beside him like a duet composed between the two. Minato didn't know how it was possible to miss something so mundane, but breakfast had always been the time Minato could consistently count on to be able to spend exclusively with Kakashi. Even with Kakashi disappearing throughout the day, the boy never skipped out from breakfast with him.

Today, however ... when had the kitchen become so big without Kakashi's company?

It was a few minutes into his food, when a creak caught Minato's ears. It was soft and quiet, and god he didn't know when he started to, but Minato had been straining his ears and hoping to catch a sign of Kakashi's door opening throughout his meal. Minato's eyes eagerly looked up as the vibrations of feet padding softly on the floor approached the kitchen. Minato supposed it was an improvement to see  _something_  of the Hatake's, but when a miniature pug appeared around the corner instead of the brooding face of his young charge, Minato couldn't help his face falling visibly at the sight.

"Yo."

Minato nodded at the pug's greeting. "Pakkun, was it?" he said amicably, even when all he wanted to do was force the dog to bring his master to him.

"That's right."

Minato stared at the pug, wondering if loyal summon or not, the dog would actually  _tell_  him what was going on with Kakashi, seeing as the boy clearly had no desire to explain anything to him. On the other hand, Minato couldn't deny the fact that it would likely count as betrayal from both him and the pug - it was a betrayal of Kakashi's privacy if Minato demanded to be answered, and it was a betrayal of Pakkun loyalty if the summon was forced to tell Minato his master's secrets. In the end, the blond Jounin settled with a carefully controlled "So, how is Kakashi?" instead, in a tone as nonchalant as he could make it.

The miniature pug hopped into the chair across from Minato, rubbing a paw over his face in a decidedly human gesture. The dog seemed to mule over the question before shaking his head softly, ears flopping up and down. "He's hungry," Pakkun finally said, but his voice held something else – something like exasperation, but that knowledge didn't help Minato the slightest. "I'm here to bring the Boss's breakfast to him."

Minato nodded at the pug, pulling Kakashi's plate of food over. He chuckled slightly as the dog demanded more meat, but even that could not brighten up his mood. "Did Kakashi say anything?" Minato asked hopefully, eyes following the dog as Pakkun dragged Kakashi's plate across the floor.

Pakkun paused. "Hmm." Pakkun watched as Minato attempted to get up to carry the plate for him, but the summon waved him off just as quickly. "He said, under no circumstances am I allowed to let you into his room." Minato froze at those words. "So I can carry this myself, thanks."

Dejected; that's exactly how Minato felt at those words. Was he really such a bother towards Kakashi that the boy would rather order his summon to carry his food back into his room to eat instead of coming out and getting it himself?

"He doesn't hate you, you know," Pakkun added when he noticed the state Minato was in. The dog shot the blond a quick grin before he resumed dragging Kakashi's plate away, but Minato couldn't respond the gesture, especially when there was nothing to grin about.

Minato sat glumly at the table, fingers twirling his chopsticks absentmindedly, unable to stomach another bite of food. Minato honestly wondered when his life had gotten so bleak to the point where even dogs pitied him and tried to cheer him up with well-meaning lies. He  _wished_ Pakkun's words were true, but Kakashi's actions lately were more than telling, and Minato couldn't continue to delude himself forever.

Minato sighed out loud as he stood up and dropped his plate into the sink. He grabbed his pouch and left the complex with only a single longing glance back. Slowly, the man made his way to the Hokage Tower where the Hokage was waiting for his report.

"How is Kakashi?" the Hokage inquired, getting straight to the point the moment Minato entered the room with a respectful bow.

Minato's mood dropped immediately. "I think …" the blond began. Minato stood slouched to the side, trying not to seem like he was affected, but god help him, he was. Minato really was attached to that stoic little boy. "I think he … hates me," he finally whispered out. Hearing the words out loud made Minato desperately want to take it all back – to shove it all into that hidden box in the corner of his mind he'd tried so hard to ignore. But it was the truth; it'd always been the truth and he couldn't live in a rose-tinted lie his whole life.

The Hokage nodded seriously and solemnly back at him. Minato lowered his gaze onto the hardwood floor, unmoving until the Hokage finally dismissed him from his office after the remainder of a strained conversation.

By that time, however, a masked shinobi had already long disappeared, heading off to report to  _his_  leader, the one who would try whatever he could to take advantage of the situation and get the prodigal little solider all for himself. Because the time was finally right.

* * *

 

_Chapter 38: Offer_

Living in a Hidden Village full of ninjas, Minato was not surprised when a masked shinobi suddenly dropped down on him out of nowhere. Especially not so when he'd been meeting with the Hokage so regularly that the sight of Anbu were becoming even more of a normality than it had ever been before. "Namikaze, if you would follow me," the shinobi said unemotionally, like a finger pressed down on a solitary key of a piano with no intention of touching the others.

Minato's eyes latched onto the ceramic mask indicating the ninja's Anbu status. He followed the etched curves, swirling in confident lines, giving the outline of an unidentifiable animal. "Of course, Anbu-san," the blond answered.

The Anbu led the blond to a small, innocuous building that was so architecturally similar to majority of the structures in Konoha that it blended completely into the background. Minato allowed a frown on his face, more out of confusion than paranoia, but Minato couldn't say he  _wasn't_  partially paranoid at being led to such a mysterious location. Then again, it wasn't like Minato had been privy to the knowledge of the Anbus' operative buildings in the first place ... or where ever the Anbu was ordered to take him.

The inside of the building was dark and musty, like the house had been pulled out from storage just for the purpose of his visit. The Namikaze treaded carefully, body leaning into an inconspicuously tense form, just in case. If the Anbu had noticed, Minato thought it was only fair and smart of him to be allowed to be paranoid – it was, after all, a habit of their trade, and they both knew the difference between 'cautious' and 'hostility'.

The Anbu silently glided across the floor in utter silence, leading Minato deeper and deeper into the building. The blond had a wary thought of a rabbit led straight into a lion's mouth, before the Anbu suddenly stopped in front of a closed door. The shinobi knocked.

"Enter." The two did as the voice from within asked, reveling the figure of an man sitting imposingly behind a sturdy desk. The man's black robes made the bandages wrapped around the right side of his face shine much more brilliant in their white pristine bindings. Minato studied the man carefully even as he let his face curl into a polite smile. The man idly brushed a strand of hair aside in a nonchalant movement to show his ease as he waved the blond in. "Ah, Namikaze, glad you found your way."

Minato dipped his body into a half-formal bow in recognition of the man's prestigious rank. There were few who didn't know of the Konoha Elders. "Danzou-sama," he greeted the man.

For an idle second, Minato wondered if this was one of Danzou's private buildings, before he cleared his mind of the distraction in order to figure out the purpose of his sudden meeting with the Elder. There seemed to be timed second that linger in the air between Minato and Danzou, and then the man smiled genially. "I hear," the man said in a casual tone, "that you have custody of a young Kakashi Hatake?"

Minato's stomach rolled slightly at the mention of the boy locked up in his room. The moment he pushed the image off to the side where it wouldn't interfere with his thoughts, Minato replied. "Not complete custody," the blond explained in a strained calm, "I'm just to make sure he has everything he needs, if I am able to provide it."

Danzou nodded understandingly. "How has he been doing?" the man asked with what seemed like curiosity, but with something much, much deeper. Minato couldn't help but hear the twinge slipped into Danzou's every word, betraying the man's polite inquiry; it added in something that tasted a hint like smug knowledge. Minato was certain the Elder already heard of Kakashi's hate towards him - or had the situation been so apparent to have occurred that the man easily guessed? Was Minato the only one blind to the problem, trying to ignore something so blatantly obvious just for his selfish desire to be the one to make Kakashi happy?

"Kakashi is … healthy," Minato commented. He let the truth in his words, no matter how weak they were, push down his negative thoughts.

Danzou raised his visible eyebrow in an inquisitive glance over. "Indeed. … And your relationship?"

The question felt like a direct stab to the chest, trying to dig out every inch of Minato's unease. "May I ask why you wish to know?" Minato tried to deflect, wanting nothing more than to drop the topic altogether, but knowing better than to challenge the authority of the Elder.

Peaking beneath white bandages, lips stretched into a smirking grin that had Minato on edge, but the old man's words spoke sounded honest and sincere enough. "I wish to help. I am able to offer the poor boy an alternative if he is unhappy with the current situation."

Minato bit at his lower lip, trying to quash his initial shout of declination because that was his selfish side talking. Maybe it was Minato's hyperactive imagination at the reminder of his crumbling bond with Kakashi, but the words " _unhappy with the current situation"_ seemed so pronounced and was practically reverberating through in his mind. "What kind of offer?" the blond finally asked through a journey of hesitations after every syllable.

"Am I correct to assume you have no experience with children? Raising, teaching, or otherwise, Minato?"

The blond dipped his head in affirmation. "That is correct."

"Nor have you any experience with children in such emotional circumstances as young Kakashi?"

The pause was longer this time, but Minato nodded a low, reluctant "Correct" once more.

Danzour fixed his hands into a business clasp on his desk. "You might not know how to deal with Kakashi's condition, but I, on the other hand, have taken in many war orphans." Minato couldn't help his cerulean eyes snapping up to look at the elder with something akin to wonder as the man continued on. "I've taken care of them, raised them, and them each other." Danzou leaned forwards towards Minato. "Wouldn't you agree such a place would be better suited company for young Kakashi? He would be amongst those who understand what he is going through."

It sounded perfect. It sounded like something that would heal the fragile porcelain doll that was Kakashi, chipped and unable to be glued back together by someone lacking the knowledge to find the right pieces. "I-" Minato's words fell into nothing, caught in his own throat. The man coughed to collect his thoughts and feelings. It was only then that something struck. "I was under the impression the Elder council disapproved of Sakumo's actions." Any mentioning of how the dishonoring and blame extended towards the Hatake clan, or rather solely on Kakashi, seeing as he was the only member left of the clan, was unnecessary because they both knew that was what Minato was referring to. _  
_

The Elder let out a soft sigh as he shook his head, looking every bit apologetic. "I am afraid we might have overreacted to the situation, especially after realising he's such a young boy, still so inexperienced with the way of the world. But so many things seemed to happen at once, and I just wasn't thinking straight. The poor boy, Kakashi, he looks so much like his father, and I'm afraid that morning all I saw was Sakumo overlapping young Kakashi's image, and my frustration and dissatisfaction of how everything ended up colored my words and judgement. I realise how I unforgivably I– _we_  had all treated the poor boy only after Kakashi had left and I was thinking more soundly. By then, I had no delusions that I would only upset the boy even more were I to go to him so soon to apologise directly, even when I so dearly wished to. I am very much ashamed of my own foolish mistake."

Even if knowing that the Elder had already once hurt Kakashi was already making Minato want to reject the Elder's apology himself, he also knew he couldn't control Kakashi's own decisions. Minato softened at the man's confession. He couldn't blame the other man for letting his disorientation from Sakumo's actions cloud his judgement when he seemed so apologetic for it. "I'm sure Kakashi would appreciate an apology," Minato said amicably at last. He held silent for a second. Minato couldn't help the wrenchingly slow and faltering voice that came after. "And I'm certain Kakashi would benefit with other children with similar backgrounds …" the man admitted truthfully. But despite knowing all that, Minato really didn't want to lose Kakashi. Minato loved Kakashi, even if the boy didn't consider Minato his guardian, even if Minato was plagued with worry each day about how to interact with Kakashi with his limited parenting experience. Minato  _didn't_  want to be selfish, but he couldn't help his mouth adding in an unconsciously formed ' _But_ ' into the conversation.

"I see," Danzou cut in before anything more but the conjunction was uttered. The Elder stood up in an informal dismissal. "Why don't you go home to think about it?"

"But-" Minato tried to start again.

Danzou waved him off. "There is no need to answer me now." The Elder gestured towards the door as the Anbu appeared once more. "I recommend you to go home and take your time to think it over in quiet, Minato." Danzou smiled when Minato looked hesitant, "Sit quietly at home and think about it. In the end, going around asking other people or wondering what others would do won't help because the choice essentially comes down to what is best for Kakashi, isn't it?" the man remarked. "Somewhere Kakashi will heal and grow to his fullest potential."

Minato nodded, more to himself than anything, realising the Elder was right. He'd momentarily contemplated the idea of talking it over with the Hokage once he was dismissed, but the Hokage would probably say the same thing; what was best for Kakashi? "Thank you," the blond said respectfully, trying to calm the internal conflict that was wreaking havoc in his mind.

Danzou smiled after him. "And do not worry about going to inform the Hokage when you've made up your mind; I'll come find you when you are ready, so take your time."

With another nod, Minato stepped out of the office to bright blue cheery skies outside once more, a sigh on his lips. Minato knew he had to make up his mind on the matter soon, but what could he do? Minato didn't want to give up Kakashi, but he couldn't just keep thinking of himself – Minato wasn't that self-centered, was he? With another sigh, the Jounin slowly made his way through the village, Danzou's words continuously ringing through his ears: " _somewhere Kakashi will heal and grow to his fullest potential."_

... Minato doubted that place was with him.

* * *

_Chapter 39: Decisions_

Days after Minato's confrontation, Kakashi finally emerged from his room. Minato was eating breakfast alone when the boy walked in.

"Good morning, Minato," the six-year-old said softly, almost guiltily. Silver hair swept over his face as the boy tilted his head slightly off to the side, as if not wanting to look the blond in the eye.

"Ka- Kakashi!" Minato exclaimed, not expecting the boy at all. The blond had given up trying to persuade the six-year-old to come out and join him days ago, the abandonment making his heart heavy and weighing down into his stomach. The last few times Minato had spotted Kakashi out of his room, the boy had forced a strained smile on his face when he'd noticed the blond, like Kakashi felt that being in the Namikaze Complex near him was physically painful. Sometimes, Minato tried his luck and gave Kakashi a friendly pat on the back if he got close enough, but all that resulted in was a  _flinch_  from the boy. After that, Minato gave up hope. He'd honestly thought Kakashi would spend the rest of their time together sneaking away from his sight or creeping discreetly around when Minato wasn't present. "Good morning," the blond rushed out, "How are you today?"

The boy lifted a shoulder, as if shrugging, before shuffling off towards the fridge. "I was … busy. Sorry," Kakashi said lowly, head ducked, and no doubt referring to his long disappearance. He was answering the question Minato wanted to know, but it was an evasive answer that gave absolutely nothing _._

"Oh? What have you been working on?" The man asked curiously even though he was half-certain the six-year-old would feed him nothing more but lies.

Kakashi quirked a brief, pained smile, like he knew what the blond was thinking but wasn't able to deny it. "Aaah, you know, stuff. Cleaning up."

"Is that so?"

"Pakkun's annoyed at me. He tore up my room," the boy offered.

Minato highly doubt a ninja dog would ever do anything of the sort, in a fit of anger or not. "I see," he said instead. His lips were stretched into a friendly smile, but it was stitched on so unnaturally, like burlap on silk, it ached to watch.

The silver-haired boy had moved in front of Minato within that second, gazing up at him through silver eyelashes. "Don't sound so … - I mean, stop worrying – It's – I'm not …" The boy cut himself off multiple times, like he was searching for the right thing to say but unable to find the right words to say it with. Eventually, Kakashi ended off lamely. "Yeah, he did," Kakashi finally managed out, "Everything Pakkun does is in large-scale to make up for his size," the boy quipped half-heartedly.

"Of course."

Kakashi flinched at Minato's tone, body jerking slightly in a way that was so indiscreet Minato probably would have missed it if he weren't staring so intensely at the six-year-old. Suddenly, Kakashi was determinately clenching his hands, face planted directly in front of Minato; the boy was staring so directly and earnestly at Minato that the blond could easily pick out the guilt in the boy's eyes. There was guilt, there was shame, there was love, and only for this last emotion, something seemed so utterly wrong with it. Minato could tell the genuineness of the affection, and yet something just barely under the surface looked as though it was forced. Like the boy was trying desperately to make Minato see it by pushing the emotion out with all he had – a drop of dye in a full bucket of water. Not that that made the emotion any less genuine – and honestly it wasn't exactly only a  _single_  drop, and quite frankly, more likely than not, there was probably more dye than water - but it left a bitter wonder of  _why_  Kakashi felt it was necessary.

Why did Kakashi think Minato need the tsunami tide flush of love? Unless he'd realised that Minato had been doubting himself this whole time; he'd realised Minato's melancholy and worry.

But then, that only made matters worse. What sort of guardian was Minato to let his precious six-year-old charge worry enough for his wellbeing to expel his whole life's worth of love and other heartfelt emotions onto Minato?

The door had knocked at that moment before Minato's heart could sink any lower.

Their guest, as surprising as it could be, happened to be the Elder Minato met days ago. Bandages shifted as the man's face contorted into a gentle smile. "Minato," the Elder greeted. His head shifted as if looking behind the blond. "Kakashi-kun."

"Danzou-sama," Minato replied, wonder in his voice. How did the man know Kakashi was finally up and about?

Soft crinkling of clothing behind Minato was heard as Kakashi slipped closer to the doorway. "Danzou-sama," The silver-haired boy parroted. Kakashi's hands had clenched at his sides at the sight of the aging old man, in what Minato dimly recalled classifying as annoyance, but Minato didn't have time to dwell on that at the moment.

"Please, come in." Minato gestured instinctively. "I'll make some tea?"

"Thank you," the Elder replied amicably, "Apologies for the intrusion."

The three of them walked back into the kitchen. The tensed shoulders of Kakashi made Minato aware that the boy was on edge. The silver-haired boy kept to the back of them, near the doorway, looking as though he was ready to bolt without a moment's notice. Minato wondered if it was because the boy was remembering the things Dazou had said months back in the Hokage's office when Sakumo died, and was treating the Elder with caution.

Minato shot a cerulean eye over at Danzou who seemed to be thinking along the same lines. The Elder turned slowly towards the child. "Kakashi-kun, please, take a seat. I wanted to talk to you – to apologise to you."

Kakashi walked hesitantly over, stiffness in his movements.

Minato, still by the counter, tried to finish pouring their tea as quickly as he could. Perhaps his presence wouldn't make a difference to the boy, but Minato  _needed_  to be beside Kakashi. Kakashi was obviously wary of Danzou, and Minato could only hope that his own presence – the comfort of someone familiar – would help the silver-haired boy calm down.

(Or maybe deep, deep inside, he wanted to be selfish and didn't want Danzou to steal all of Kakashi's attention away.)

"Kakashi-kun," Danzou began again, voice curling into itself in a way that suggested he was feeling ashamed. "Judging by your tense posture, you remember me, don't you, dear boy?"

The silver-hair boy dipped his head into a quick nod, hands clenching the back of the wooden chair he was standing behind. "If you're only here to apologise, it is fine. I accept. It was your opinion, and I acknowledge that," the boy snipped out in choppy sentences. The staccato manner gave Minato the impression the boy was feeling uneasy in front of Danzou.

The bandaged old man obviously felt the same way when he shook his head softly. "Please, Kakashi-kun, sit down.

"I honestly do apologise for my harsh words the last time we met. I sincerely did not mean any of them. I was merely in a dazed bewilderment; I know you understand that, don't you? Sakumo was a great shinobi, and his … situation gave me such a huge shock, I'm afraid I lost myself to irrational actions fueled by my confusion."

The silver-haired boy was still. Only when Minato distributed the steaming cups of tea and sat down, did Kakashi follow his lead and slipped into his chair as well. The boy's face, however, gave no indication to what he was thinking.

Danzou continued on regardless. "I have been meaning to ask for forgiveness for a while now, but I didn't want to upset you especially when the incident was so fresh on your mind, so I forced myself to hold back.

"Hmm," Kakashi hummed aloud to show he was listening, without acknowledgment to Danzou's actual words. His eyes suddenly seemed sharper to Minato, as if trying to comprehend what the Elder was up to, waiting for Danzou's speech to be over.

"I sincerely wish to make it up to you. I have a small little family made up of orphans, most of whom have been though similar circumstances as yourself, Kakashi. In fact, I have discussed it with Minato, and we believe that it might be beneficial to you."

Minato felt his hand unconsciously clench the tea cup tighter as Kakashi glanced over at him. The silver-haired boy gave another impatient "hmm," while his gaze slide into an unfocused glare as if slipping into a memory of something unpleasant.

"They understand your experience much more than Minato here, or myself could ever hope to," Danzou commented, "And we could help you overcome your emotions."

There was a vicious light in Kakashi's grey-blue eyes as the boy continued with his mile-long stare. "I don't doubt you could," he said suddenly, sounding bitter, but Minato couldn't understand why.

Danzou seemed to have taken the boy's words as agreement to his cause as he leaned towards Minato. "Well then, will you let Kakashi under my custody? I promise I will do everything in my power to bring him up to his full potential, without letting these certain events drag him down anymore. He will happily fit right in. And a young, prospering shinobi such as yourself does not need to be burdened with something as foreign as raising children."

 _Happily fit right in_. Minato was certain Kakashi would. Because here, Minato was helpless to the six-year-old's needs due to his cluelessness with children, and no matter how much Minato tried to delude himself, that would always be so. As for burdening himself – in all honestly, he felt like he was burdening Kakashi with his lack of experience.

"Do you agree," Danzou pressed on, before the blond could gather his thoughts to form a response, "that Kakashi would be happier with my children? Won't you allow me to take him in?"

"I-" The blond began.

Minato's eyes shot over to the silver-haired boy. Under his navy-blue mask, Kakashi's mouth looked like it was open, ready to say something, but was frozen by his desire to hear Minato's response.

What did Kakashi want to hear? Minato could see Kakashi' grey-blue eyes staring, trying to convey  _something_  to him, but for the life of him, Minato couldn't figure out what it was. The only thing he could make out was worry, but worry for what? Worried Minato would give him away? Worried Minato  _wouldn't_  let him go?

And it didn't help that the whole time, the blond could only remember the utter uselessness he was for the silver-haired boy in question.

All he could remember was how independent Kakashi was; how much his protectiveness must've been bothering the boy; how Kakashi had refused to see him; how Kakashi would never spend any time with him; how Kakashi, who never stayed long in the Namikaze complex, hardly left the house when Minato had gone for his mission; how Kakashi refused to confide him in anything; and how, throughout everything, Kakashi never once ever verbally said he wanted Minato to be his guardian in the first place.

Maybe Danzou was right? He'd only been doing what he thought was right; what  _he_  wanted to do. Minato never asked Kakashi to tell him what he thought about the whole thing. Danzou had everything Kakashi could possibly need, while Minato had nothing.

"I-" Minato's mind flashed towards earlier that morning, where it'd felt like Kakashi was the one comforting him instead of the other way around. One day, Minato was sure he would be able to correctly raise a six-year-old, but would that day come too late for Kakashi, for a boy who needed a loving, capable guardian now especially of all times? Minato honestly tried to make up his mind after the first day Danzou proposed the idea, but each and every time he was pulled into two different directions. Choices between what was needed and what he wanted were the hardest to decide on because they never seemed to be one of the same.

Minato sneaked another peek at Kakashi, who's attention was on Danzou now, his grey-blue eyes intensely studying the Elder with a contemplative gaze. Minato tried not to grimace in jealousy, but he couldn't help it because he was almost certain Kakashi saw the advantages of Danzou's offer by this point. Minato pushed his tea cup in front of himself, hands clamped onto it like it was giving him the strength to utter his next words. The blond tilted his head forwards in a defeated manner. "I … agree," he finally said, the words slipping faintly off his tongue.

Beside him, Kakashi's only sat up stiffer in place at those words, face blank as ever. Minato swallowed suddenly, not sure if that was a good reaction or not, not sure if he'd made the right decision or not. In all honesty, Minato  _really_  didn't know what to think anymore.

* * *

_Chapter 40: Family_

"Good, good. Shall we go meet them, Kakashi-kun? Come along," Minato dimly heard Danzou coax the silver-haired boy.

The world stilled in the next stretch of a breath as indiscernible words rammed stubbornly and relentlessly in the blond's skull, filling his head with a dizzying buzzing noises. Minato didn't know what he was hoping or begging for in his mind, but he  _was_ , and desperately so, the blond realised suddenly. Then, "No," a voice said sternly, cutting through the air. For a second Minato thought he'd said it himself, only then realising how much he'd  _wanted_  to say that exact word. But it wasn't him who'd said it; it was Kakashi, and the boy's tone was sharp and icy cold.

Minato's insides trembled at the voice. Unconsciously, a corner of Minato's mind started hoping – just hoping with uneasy, delusional hope - that perhaps the  _'no'_  was because Kakashi actually  _did_  want him. But what now, after he'd just agreed to send the boy away?

... Or maybe Kakashi just didn't want to be with Danzou either?

"No," the masked boy repeated, voice still as hard as ever.

Minato swallowed his fears. "'No' what?" he asked as strongly as his wavering heart could.

Beside him, Danzou's eyes narrowed, sliding into a calculating gaze. "Why don't you come with me, Kakashi-kun? We'll discuss the problem in private. I think Minato here looks like he could do with some rest," the older man said, voice in a sickly gentle tone.

The sweetness of it was churning Minato's stomach, enhanced by an unreasonable resentment of the Elder that had arose in Minato the moment Kakashi transferred his undivided attention from the Namikaze to Danzou. Minato wanted to scoff bitterly and correct the other man – tell him he didn't need to talk to Kakashi like that because the boy was so much stronger than that. He wanted Danzou to know how  _little_  Danzou knew of the boy in front of him, and how much he himself  _did_  know, so ... so ...  _don't take him away ...?_

"No, I'm not going with you," Kakashi finally said, eyes suddenly gazing right into Minato's own cerulean blue irises.

The blond's heart skipped a beat as emotions  _oozed_  out at him. Begging. Pleading. Hoping. Deep within those grey-blue eyes swirled a heart-aching scene of betrayal and rejection.

But  _no, Kakashi,_  Minato wanted to deny back to the boy, _it wasn't like that!_  He wasn't abandoning him to Danzou! He really wasn't! Between what he or Danzou could provide Kakashi, he just wanted what was best for the Hatake's future. Couldn't Kakashi see that?

Then, in a blink, as if catching himself, Kakashi's eyes glazed over, leaving no traces but an artificial blank stare in its place. Words clogged in Minato's throat as he suddenly realised just how vulnerable Kakashi really was, despite his mature attitude. The boy was like a fallen soldier, having seen too much death to bear living in a world without someone he knew to cling on to, and yet, too proud to admit it.

Dark grey-blue eyes looked away, casting his gaze downwards on the ground. "If I have no place in the Namikaze apartment, I will live by myself as I have wished to all along," Kakashi spoke, voice holding no visible emotion but utter idleness. It was so believable and yet, so damn fake to hear coming from the boy Minato knew was fueled by turmoil of emotions neatly capped inside that plastic face of his.

"I can give you a home. A family. A place to live and learn with other orphans. People who understand what you are going through," Dazou said temptingly.  _Everything Minato couldn't offer Kakashi._  Not when the blond had no experience with raising children, no idea what Kakashi really needed, no idea how he was supposed to treat this orphaned boy, and no way to actually be a proper father figure when he was always gone training or on missions so often.

"I appreciate the offer, but I have no need," the silver-haired boy replied.

Minato's heart ached at hearing Kakashi speaking so formally, so stiffly, like this. Where was the happy little six-year old? The little boy who'd gave him such warm eyes when Minato brought him over to live at his apartment. The amused little grin Kakashi had given when Minato presented him with that dog cushion?

This wasn't Kakashi.

"You shouldn't be hasty with your decision. Think it over," Danzou had continued saying, taking no regards to Kakashi's words.

Minato wanted to do the same, but what could  _he_  say? He had no offer as useful, as tempting, as generous as Danzou's. All he had was " _Kakashi don't leave. I don't want you to go",_ but what good would come from forcing the six-year-old onto someone he didn't even like?

"No thank you," Kakashi answered just as dryly as he had before. "If that is all, Danzou-sama, Minato-san."

"You cannot live alone. You are still a minor-" Danzou was hastily saying in the background, but the words couldn't penetrate through the humming that filled Minato's mind once more. Minato's could feel every vein in his body as his heart pumped what felt like cold blood through his system at Kakashi's words. Minato- _san._  The Namikaze couldn't remember when, but the boy had dropped the formal honorific when they'd gotten to know each other better. The blond's insides had warmed from heart out at hearing that subtle but precious change.

But now it was back.

It was like the six-year-old had dropped a glass barrier between the two of them once more, and Minato felt cold at the loss of what he hadn't known was so fragile.

Kakashi hopped down from his chair and turned around from the both of them, legs taking large steps away.

"Don't!" Minato cried before he could help himself, standing up, letting his own wooden chair fall discarded with an echoing thud on the ground. He couldn't let Kakashi leave like that. Even if his hands were to start bleeding with countless shards of the crystal wreck, Minato would do all he could to punch through that glass barrier once more.

However, his cry was was useless; Kakashi was already gone, slipping through the household doors without a second glance back. Minato wasn't even sure if the boy heard him, and if he had … Kakashi probably didn't expect anything more – who would stop for just an aching  _chance_  that Minato wanted to pull him back into his arms to love and hold?

The Namikaze swallowed hard, trying to push down the lodge in his throat, trying not to feel like he was the one who'd just been rejected – because he wasn't permitted to feel that; not when  _he_  was the one to push Kakashi away first. He turned towards the Elder who looked just as ready as Minato to follow after Kakashi, and Minato couldn't have that. Kakashi was _his_. "I am sorry, Danzou-sama. I take back what I said," Minato said explicitly, because he had to make this clear, "Kakashi will not leave with you. I would appreciate it if you left. There is nothing more to consider."

The blond contemplated ushering the Elder out and closing the door on him, consequences be damned, just to enunciate the point that the topic was closed for discussion, so  _get out of my house and don't bother my precious little family anymore_. But that would've been impractical, because Kakashi  _left_. Kakashi was running around outside, hurt and thinking Minato gave him up, and Minato didn't want Danzou outside and in a distance so much closer to Kakashi than Minato himself was – not until he cleared up this horrendous misunderstanding with the boy.

Minato spared the Elder only long enough to give a nod (it was supposed to seem apologetic at leaving so abruptly, but Minato couldn't bring up the emotion to care so much at the moment), before rushing past the man and letting himself out, leaving the older man in his kitchen table with their scattered teacups in front of him. Minato knew he had to attend to Kakashi before it was too late, before he couldn't take back what he'd so foolishly lost.

It'd taken awhile, but Minato eventually tracked down Kakashi. They boy was standing listlessly on a high branch of a tree, staring off into the distance. The branch seemed well-worn, moulded to the shape of his little sandals like he'd stood there many times before.

Minato approached silently. He was still loud enough to announce his presence, but Kakashi didn't bother to acknowledge him either way. Minato tried not feel too disheartened at that. He could remember the boy frozen by the table, shoulders drawn up, and his back growing smaller and smaller as he rushed off from the Namikaze Complex. The fact that Kakashi wasn't running away from him again was a good sign, wasn't it?

Minato stood in silence a branch over, waiting to see if Kakashi would make the first move. The silver-haired boy acted as though Minato wasn't even present, never tearing his gaze from the stare he was casting so far away. "Do you come here often?" Minato finally asked a few minutes later, unable to bear the distanced hush between them.

Kakashi didn't turn to look at him, but he gave a small shrug in response. "Occasionally," the boy answered.

"This is a … unique place to come to," Minato replied, hoping a conversation would keep the boy in place. "It's unusually calm and quiet here; is this why you like it?"

Kakashi let out a huff of breath that sounded like a half-hearted chuckle, before he leapt down onto the muddy soil from the branch he was on. Minato spared a glance at the direction the silver-haired boy was looking at, noting the clear view the position gave of the main entrance of the Uchiha Compound, before following after Kakashi's actions.

The boy had yet to look at him, carefully keeping his back to Minato as a barrier between the two of them.

"What are you doing all the way out here?" Kakashi asked lightly, like it wasn't any of his problem. Somehow, Minato could feel the ' _Why did you come after me? What more do you want? Why won't you leave me alone in peace? Why must you show your face and make me hurt so much more? Haven't you done enough?'_  pleading unheard underneath. "Does Danzou want me to come back?"

Minato had his arms around the six-year-old before he knew it. Kakashi's backbone felt every bit stiff as a rod at the blond's touch. Minato wrapped his arms around the little boy in a gentle hug, face buried in Kakashi's back, because the coward Minato was, he couldn't bear to turn Kakashi around and see what breaking emotion the boy was hiding deep within his troubled grey-blue eyes.

"I'm sorry," Minato murmured out, muffled by the boy's clothes, all previous conversation forgotten. "I'm sorry, but please don't leave. I don't want to see you go." His words were flowing now, bursting out freely like a thousand birds (one for each of Minato's silent, aching pleads) escaping the small, cramped cage they'd been trapped in. "I know I'm not the best choice to help you; I know I have nothing to offer you like Danzou; I know I tend to be busy a lot with training and mission, but I want you here. I love you Kakashi. You've grown on me, and god, I really consider you my son. I'm sorry I'm so selfish, but I don't want you to go. … I know you don't like me, Kakashi, but – even if you hate me-"

The silver-haired boy wriggled under Minato's hold like he was trying to break away. For a second Minato considered holding the boy even tighter as illogical fear fleeted through his mind at the idea that the moment he let him go, Kakashi would leave him forever. But in the end, Minato loosened his hands. Kakashi immediately turned in them, twisting until blue-grey eyes were holding even with cerulean ones. "I don't hate you."

If the blond hadn't been so close, hadn't seen the moving of the boy's mouth under his navy blue mask, he would've assumed he was hallucinating words from the Kakashi's breathing. "I don't hate you," Kakashi repeated, slower, as if seeing the dazed state Minato was in. "I'm anything but. I … I don't want anyone but you as my guardian. Honestly."

Uncertain and off-balanced, Minato stared into Kakashi's eyes, as if trying to discern the truth in Kakashi's words. "I thought you ..." the man began, before abruptly shaking off the unpleasant idea, not wanting to even word the hateful thoughts that had been plaguing him for the past months.

"I love you," Kakashi replied strongly to Minato halted question, without a speck of hesitation.

Minato swallowed hard to get past the lodge in his throat. "You're not just saying that out of pity, are you?" The Namikaze asked half-jokingly, trying to twitch the corners of his lips into a smile and out of the pathetic face of anxiety it was currently sporting. He was failing his job to be the valiant and reliable adult in the situation (See? This was why Minato was doubtful of being able to be a proper guardian to the boy), but Kakashi didn't seem to mind.

"Never," Kakashi said confidently, blowing away all barriers with his resolute tone.

Minato exhaled in what sounded like strangled laugh, before pulling Kakashi closer and tighter into his hold. "Oh," he said. It was a lame and useless sound, but he was too happy to care. Kakashi, in his arms, didn't seem to mind as the boy relaxed and wrapped his own short little arms around Minato to complete the hug. Kakashi also didn't seem to mind standing in that pose in the middle of the forest for god-knows how long, waiting for Minato to collect himself once more.

**x**

It didn't take long for the blond to compose himself. Honestly, Minato just didn't want to move. Kakashi didn't care – in fact, if he had to admit it, he rather liked the blatant show of love Minato showed. Kakashi supposed it shouldn't have shocked him that Minato thought he was hated. Kakashi was never good at showing his emotions, unlike Minato, too used to keeping to himself throughout his life. Kakashi knew he'd become more open after receiving his Team Seven, but sometimes habit was hard to change. In fact, even for his team, Kakashi had a feeling that up until that faithful C-turned-S-rank involving Zabuza, when Kakashi declared absolutely that he was going to protect his students with his life, his team never even realised he truly care for them; Kakashi's love and care had always been subtle like that, easy to miss by those who didn't know him well enough, fooled by his lackadaisical and aloof mannerisms. Kakashi wondered if he'd been instinctively treating Minato like the man the blond would become instead of the man he was at the moment, for Minato to have misinterpreted Kakashi so incorrectly. The Minato Kakashi was used to, always knew what Kakashi was thinking about, no matter how hard the silver-haired boy tried to hide it from him.

There was a guilty clench in Kakashi's chest, and Kakashi leaned deeper into the blond's hold in order to try to make up for his previous actions. Minato didn't even pause as he only tightened his embrace. With his face in the crook of Kakashi's neck, Kakashi barely heard Minato's voice when the man murmured out. "I want to adopt you."

The boy froze for a second, wondering if Minato knew he'd spoken that out loud.

"Adopt?" he questioned softly.

The future Hokage stiffened a bit, and the Hatake knew right away he hadn't meant to voice those words aloud. Nevertheless, the silver-haired boy couldn't keep the smile off his face, not that Minato could see it. It warmed Kakashi's heart that the man he'd considered family in the future, and even more so in these many months, considered him to be one as well.

The blond was starting to pull away now, face hot and uncomfortable in the awkward silence that his unconscious statement had brought. Kakashi was certain the man was going to open his mouth any minute now and laugh hollowly, retracting his statement like it was a joke. That yet to be spoken sentence, Kakashi was certain, would likely be the  _biggest_ _and_ _most painful_  lie Minato would ever say to him.

_And he really, really, didn't want to hear it either._

"Well, I wouldn't be opposed to it," Kakashi murmured out lowly, tone just barely loud enough for Minato to hear if the man had been actively listening for it.

When Minato hugged Kakashi even tighter after that, Kakashi knew the blond had indeed heard him as well.


	9. 41-45

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brief summary of the story so far (for those who can't remember): Kakashi wakes up in his five-year-old body and realises he time traveled. He spends time with his dad and also eventually he decides not to attend the Academy. Kakashi tries to do some good by following his dad out on a mission henged as a black-haired figure with a red scarf ... things don't go as planned, and Kakashi scraps the plan until later. Stuff happens, and Sakumo commits seppuku once again. Kakashi is place under Minato's care, who relocates Kakashi to his own apartment. Kakashi reinitiates the plan with the henged form and saves Minato's team on a mission, leaving Minato with the name 'Copy-cat'. Because Kakashi's hurt on the mission and hides away, Minato misunderstands, and it eventually leads to Danzou trying to take advantage of the situation. The misunderstanding is cleared up in the end with Minato ending up adopting Kakashi. Yay.

_Chapter 41: Bittersweet_

Things seemed relatively back to normal once more the days after Kakashi's confrontation with Danzou. Kakashi knew better than to assume the Elder had given up at Minato and Kakashi's refusal, but Kakashi had more important things to worry about than to put all his energy into keeping with Danzou.

First and foremost was his life with Minato. It was ridiculous how full-blown a simple misunderstanding had become. Kakashi was independent and aloof – not something Minato would have ever expected from a six-year-old, and so he'd misinterpreted Kakashi's responses to him. Minato was insecure about his ability to care for Kakashi and saw Kakashi as a civilian seven-year-old – not the way Kakashi was used to, and as such he'd never considered Minato's mindset to be different from what it'd always been. They'd both been working off of preconceived notions of how a child/Minato should have acted like, never realising just how quickly they were both sliding out of that mould.

Kakashi supposed he was at fault for that. He'd never spent enough time with Minato, never allowing the man to see how he truly was, nor getting to know this younger Minato better.

To make up for it, immediately after the Hokage's approval to the adoption process, Kakashi stuck close to the blond to improve their relationship. It helped to ease Minato's heart of any lingering doubts, and Kakashi couldn't argue with the fact that it was cheering himself up as well.

Kakashi never wanted to admit it, but his father's second death left a deeper scar than he'd expected. He'd unconsciously tried to keep Minato at a distance – not too close, but not too far. He kept the blond close enough to protect, but also far enough because perhaps on a subconscious level he'd already been harbouring a haunting fear that he would fail once more. If that happened, he knew it would shatter what was left of his brittle soul (and then some) if he got too close. So he'd pushed the man out when he tried to dig his way into Kakashi's heart. He'd stepped a stride back whenever Minato's love reached out for him. Kakashi had ran away like a coward, was what he'd done.

Kakashi was not a coward.

Nor was Kakashi an optimistic fool. But perhaps it wouldn't be too bad if he held on tighter to the sliver of hope that his sensei  _was_  going to be saved in the end? Because Kakashi wanted to undo the multiple locks and chains, and open his heart once more to love with all his might – especially for precious family.

Loving never seemed so hard before… but then again, he never had many chances, always watching those he cherished fall before his very eyes only what seemed like seconds after he'd finally let them into his life.

**x**

"You need friends of your own age," Minato said one day, trying to look as though he'd just grasped the idea off the top of his head.

Kakashi, of course, knew better. "Are you trying to set me up on a play-date?"

"… no?"

But actually, he was. In fact, it didn't take too much prodding for Minato to reveal that he had already set one up.

Kakashi let a drawn out sigh at the blond's sheepish laugh as the man ran a hand through his golden hair with that oh-so familiar grin that had passed down the Namikaze clan. Kakashi fondly recalled the similar look on his precious Genin, mixed with a swirl of stubbornness that was trademark of the Uzumaki. Kakashi couldn't deny anything to that look. "When is this … play-date?" the silver-haired boy finally asked.

The man's grin was as blinding as his cheery personality. "Tomorrow."

Kakashi blinked. "And you're only telling me this now?"

The awkward chuckle was back as the man tried to look innocently over at his young charge. "Well, less time for you to refuse … ?" he said hesitantly.

Kakashi froze for a second, unable to help the bubbling of laughter that was growing inside of him, because that sounded awfully like something Kakashi would've done to his little Genin team just to watch them cry out in adorable childish outrage (or at least a shocked hum from Sasuke).

"So ..?" Minato urged when Kakashi was silent for much too long. "Is it fine?" the man asked.

Kakashi considered the idea as he shoved his hands into the worn pockets of his pants, body leaning down to a familiar slouch. He tilted his head upwards, staring off into the distance. "Aah, let them come," the boy answered quietly into the wind, as though hoping his doubts would flow unseen along with it. It was time to start opening his heart once more. "I'm ready for them."

And he'd honestly thought he  _was_  ready.

However, that certainly wasn't the case as the children blundered through the Namikaze door early the next morning, their childish voices echoing through the once-quiet complex.

It wasn't like the children were Rin or Obito, but then again, Kakashi doubted Minato even knew the Nohara's, or that the prestigious Uchiha clan would do something as unsophisticated as to send their children out on a play-date. Still, the kids who were invited were more than enough to make Kakashi take back his words, with their bright, cheerful voices and faces that overlapped with visions of what would be – or could be - clawing relentlessly at Kakashi's chest until it was throbbing raw.

Kakashi had expected the stinging of his heart at the sight of his father, of Jiraiya, of Minato-sensei; these were the men who'd been Kakashi's mentors and respected adults from childhood. Out of everyone Kakashi had ever met, the time-traveler could easily say that these three had a place in his heart practically reserved for them since before Kakashi could even throw his very first kunai.

But the sight of his fellow Jounin had unexpectedly done the same, if not just as intensely. Seeing his colleagues, or what he tentatively called  _friends_  (for he'd spend too many years with them through life and death not to consider them as such, even if his interactions with them outside of missions were limited) made Kakashi feel cold and lonely. He'd never outwardly declared his fellow shinobi as "friends" (and 'eternal rival' seemed as close as he was willing to admit it), but underneath the underneath, they'd always held that role whether they realised it or not. Seeing them here like this pressed down on his chest, his ribs, his heart, and everything in between into a small square box, quavering and ready to burst without a moment's notice. It was something Kakashi had never predicted, for even though he'd considered them friends, Kakashi never knew how much he'd unconsciously valued their company.

Beneath his breastbone, pressure built up in a way that seeing his father or sensei hadn't done, because deep inside, Kakashi knew his friends (best friends, best rival) would never be the same again. They would be close – no matter how much Kakashi changed the past, he was certain there would at least be a few constant happenings that would shape his fellow shinobi's personalities as it had in the past - but it just wouldn't be the same.

Changes in Sakumo hadn't alarmed Kakashi as much, because honestly, Kakashi lost the man much too early in life to remember precisely how the man truly had been once upon a time in the past. Minato-sensei had died too young, and young Kakashi of the past had cared too little to notice how the blond was like before – before Obito had died and before Minato had become the Yondaime.

And perhaps Jiraiya  _had_  fallen only recently in the war, except it wasn't the Sage who Kakashi had fought daily beside on missions; who Kakashi had spent the breaks between assignments with in bar or pubs (both with and without his consent); who Kakashi had hastily patched up, worried over, and teased lecherously at over his years.

When he looked at the familiar face of Asuma with his clean baby face, he couldn't help but see the grizzly beard of the man, and wisps of toxic smoke that used to waft constantly from between his lips.

When he looked at Gai, the child who was still shy and with a face that seemed to be permanently etched into a scowl, and not yet like the bolstering and optimistic figure he'd soon grow to be, Kakashi had the urge to drop his gaze. This wasn't the Gai he knew. This wasn't the Gai who'd determinately clawed his way to be Kakashi's eternal rival; the Gai who had so much excess Flames of Youth that it hurt to look; the Gai who ran across Konoha in his loud, obnoxious green spandex with a clone called Lee following his every step; or the Gai who he trusted the most out of nearly everyone in the whole village to the point where he was willing to drop everything to answer his SOS turtle.

Kakashi had instinctively expected recognition and perhaps even the haunted smiles of comrades who'd seen too much of war. But all he got was childish, oblivious grins that felt so foreign on such familiar faces. Kakashi could feel every hit of the pick into the ice block that was his heart as it carved away everything he'd held so dear. With time the fallen shards would melt into water and wash away with his tears.

But Kakashi didn't want that. Especially something that sounded so permanent.

He couldn't forget everyone to replace them with the reality that he was in now, no matter how more realistic that would be instead of clinging onto the past (but didn't everyone used to tell him to stop living in the past?).

Despite the fact Minato had arranged this play-date for Kakashi's sake, Kakashi found himself retreating into the corner of the room watching the others interacted instead. He didn't think he would be able to manage the same himself. From the corner of his blue-grey eyes, Kakashi saw Minato glancing worriedly at him, and he gifted the man with a smile of pressed eyes crinkled into a curve.

Kakashi didn't think he could display a smile any more false, but it was the best he could do considering.

The pulsing of his heart pushed against his ribcage uncomfortably whenever he allowed images of the future (would-be, could-been, will-never-be) flash across his mind. So he'd frozen his face into the image he was projecting – the smile that wasn't a smile, but still looked like a smile. It fooled the kids who'd contagiously grin his way when they looked over at him.

It fooled a lot of people, but definitely not Minato. No; from the short time they'd lived together, and the extra hours they'd crammed in to improve their relationship even more, the blond definitely knew Kakashi better than that.

"Had fun?" the future Hokage commented as they waved goodbye to the last of the children after the day came to an end.

"Enjoyable," Kakashi responded so idly there was almost nothing the other man could pick up on from his voice. But it was a useless move, for Minato had seen all he needed to throughout the day.

The blond stared down at the boy until his unwavering gaze forced the silver-haired boy to finally look him in the eyes. "Kakashi, stop it," Minato said strictly, voice somber.

Kakashi closed his eyes, and turned his head away. "Stop what?" he asked, his innocent tone starkly contrasting his actions.

Minato looked displeased behind his worried cerulean eyes as the man's lips pressed into a line. "Your acting," the man elaborated after a second's pause. "Stop your acting."

"My-"

"You always smile that plastic grin of yours, trying to pretend nothing is wrong," Minato interrupted, "You keep everything inside, no matter how much it hurts you. Can't you see that I'm here? I want to help you, Kakashi. I love you more than you can imagine, and seeing you hurting by yourself when we can get through whatever it is  _together,_ makes me feel like I'm useless and that you refused to share the burden because you don't like me nor want me in your life."

Kakashi grinded his teeth in an uncomfortable silence as he listened to the blond's rant. "I'm not –" Kakashi began, when Minato was finished.

"Do you trust me, Kakashi?" Minao asked, cutting off the boy's objection.

"I do," Kakashi protested venomously. He really did. Minato-sensei was one of the few people he trusted without a doubt. He would do anything for the man.

"Then why won't you just be yourself around me? Let me help. I'm your guardian. What am I here for if you don't let me be relied on?" Eyes slanted into a pleading gaze. "I trust you, Kakashi, but it doesn't feel like you trust me with anything at all."

The feeling of guilt clogged Kakashi's throat, "I –I-"  _'I' what,_  Kakashi thought bitterly to himself. What could he say?  _I'm sorry but I'm actually a grown man who doesn't need to be mollycoddled? I just want to keep you happy and safe? I don't want you to worry for me – especially when it's about something I never want you to experience either._

Minato seemed to sense Kakashi's internal dilemma in his hesitance. He looked down on the young silver-haired child in front of him, voice soft and begging, "Will you at the very least stop lying to the both of us about your feelings? Just let it free; we can deal with it together." Minato dropped his head, "I'm trying as hard as I can, but you know I'm no good at this; I keep misinterpreting your actions, causing you to suffer from my own inexperience. At the very least, will you be more vocal about how you are feeling? I can't understand what is happening if you don't tell me."

Minato's speech was long and stumbling, and showed how much the matter concerned the blond. "I'll try," Kakashi finally conceded in defeat. The blond smiled at the boy, and like the grin of another blond Kakashi knew, it was utter contagious because not a second later, Kakashi felt a small smile tug on the corner of his own lips. The boy allowed the smile on his face to grow naturally, letting it morph into something more of a smirk as he attempted to lighten the mood. "I never would've realised you were such a stubborn man from the way you look," Kakashi said as a teasing quirk weaving into his words.

"W-what is that supposed to mean?" Minato huffed indignantly, twisting his own smile into a sulk.

Kakashi chuckled faintly, unable to keep anything more but a few notes before tapering off into silence. There was a feeling of bittersweet pain enveloping Kakashi into a sort of reminiscing embrace. It both hurt and soothed him at the same time.

"Kakashi?" Minato nudged hesitantly.

"It's nothing," the silver-haired boy began, before stopping at the blonde's glare.

"You promised to be more vocal about your feelings," the man reminded him gently.

"I did, didn't I?" Kakashi murmured softly, wondering how to explain it. He considered his feeling for a moment before speaking. "If I had to elaborate, then … I'm happy."

"Happy?" the blond repeated with skepticism in his voice, as he recalled Kakashi's expression just seconds before.

"I am," the silver-haired boy confirmed. It was a painfully aching, nostalgic happiness, but happiness all the same. "Trust me, I really am." Kakashi didn't think he would ever stop feeling such painful happiness, but he was certain that one day in the future he would also be able to show Minato the bright beaming grin that the blond associated with the word.

* * *

 

 

 

_Chapter 42: Lingering_

So maybe it was impudent (and bordering creepy) to spy on a six-year-old, but Minato was feeling uneasy. Mornings in the Namikaze Complex still consisted of Kakashi eating breakfast with him before suddenly disappearing for the remainder of the day. After Minato expressed his concerns to Kakashi, it wasn't as common as it used to be, but Minato still had no idea where the silver-haired boy disappeared off to all the time. Every now and then, Minato would run across the boy standing in that odd little spot near the Uchiha Compound that he'd found Kakashi before (why Kakashi liked that place, the boy wouldn't say), but that didn't make up for the rest of the times Kakashi  _wasn't_  there.

Minato knew Kakashi was quite independent, but even that knowledge hadn't quelled his worries. The main problem, Minato supposed, were the answers Kakashi gave whenever he asked. What was Minato  _supposed_  to think of excuses that ranged from ludicrous to down-right confusing? ' _I got caught in a sand storm'?_ ' _My usual store sold out of silver hair dye'? 'I got lost on the road of life'_? If Kakashi wanted to lie, Minato was certain he could lie better than that, so what was this all about?

Was it some sort of code Kakashi was discreetly trying to hint to Minato? Was Kakashi bullied and threatened not to tell?

Minato had told Kakashi plenty of times he could confide in him if anything was bothering him, but Kakashi was only marginally better at not keeping Minato out of his life. At this stage, a part of the problem was likely due to habit, so Minato hadn't pushed too hard.

 _But if Kakashi was being bullied…_  Minato hadn't forgotten the Hokage's solemn briefing to him of the reactions the villagers had towards the Hatake name in response to Sakumo's disgrace. It was - what now? – roughly half a year from then, but Minato knew there were who people didn't forgive things like that so easily. He also knew that there would be hell to pay if anyone dragged up the past to harm his little boy.

So, with such possible horrors floating in his mind, Minato tried not to feel too guilty about tailing after Kakashi when the silver-haired boy strolled cheerfully out the door after breakfast one morning.

Minato promised himself if this turned out to be nothing, if he was only over-reacting, Minato would stop being so paranoid about Kakashi actions in the future - especially of things Kakashi didn't feel the need to confide him on (because obviously this would be proof he was being much too overprotective and suspicious of every little inconsequential thing happening around Kakashi). Minato didn't need the knowing looks sent to him from colleagues to know he was being overly sensitive whenever Kakashi was involved, but he couldn't help it; Kakashi was his first son, and he was too precious to not cuddle up tightly in a protective embrace.

Minato slipped behind Kakashi's shadows as the boy's route turned abruptly, heading towards the woods behind old, time-worn training ground space. Minato narrowed his eyes, wondering if he needed to give Kakashi a talk about wandering around unpopulated areas. But then again, if villagers  _were_  being uncivil towards Kakashi, wouldn't somewhere unpopulated be better?

Eventually, Kakashi stopped a few minutes deep into the woody grounds, in an area where the trees were slightly sparser in arrangement. Of all things Minato considered Kakashi to be doing out here, for some reason 'training' was low on that list. Minato didn't know why it was so low because he'd known about Kakashi's prodigal talents. How could he not with Sakumo and Jiraiya's bragging? On the other hand, this was the first time Minato himself saw the proclaimed skills in action.

He'd known Kakashi's chakra control was good (it had to be if the boy could summon Pakkun), but chakra control was only one aspect of Kakashi's prodigal abilities – Minato never realised how well-rounded Kakahi was. The exact precision Kakashi executed his basic stances before Minato's eyes were astonishing. And if he thought that was something, Minato's eyes widened another fold when the boy suddenly moved, sparing with an imaginary enemy.

Admittedly, Kakashi's actions were graceless at times, especially in his landing and thrusts as he overestimated his reach, but that was only to be expected of a six-year-old who was already at such an advanced level of taijutsu for someone his age. Minato couldn't help leaning forwards to get a better look.

Kakashi was talented, intelligent, adorable, hardworking, and … and  _what had Sakumo been feeding that boy?!_ (and where was Minato supposed to go to buy some more of that?)

As Minato stared a bit longer in disbelief, his eyebrows slowly narrowed downwards into a frown as he noticed something that had escaped his observation earlier. In a more attentive gaze, Minato could suddenly see twitches in Kakashi's stance, pleading to react in a way Kakashi wasn't allowing himself to. Something was holding Kakashi back, and whatever that was, Minato had a fear that it was the result of a mental rather than physical hindrance - it was unconsciously seeping from Kakashi's conscious into his form.

Anger and uneasiness filled the blond as he speculated whether or not this was another thing he could attribute to Sakumo's disgrace once more. Perhaps some malicious words had thrown at Kakashi during that time, frightening him to hold back, convincing Kakashi to hide his talents from the world? It seemed like everything about Kakashi revolved around that single horror, and short of turning back time, there was nothing Minato cold do to fix that (except maybe with more doting on the boy, but that was more along the lines of ' _healing'_ than ' _fixing_ ').

Minato shook his head to himself, filled with more uncertainty about how to handle Kakashi's problems than before. It was going to be a long and hard task, but Minato wasn't about to give up. With that in mind, Minato prepared to leave before he got caught. It was at that moment Kakashi glanced over at him. It was subtle gesture, one where Kakashi barely even turned his way, but Minato caught it because his gaze had never left Kakashi his whole training session. Somehow the silver-haired boy also noticed Minato noticed because he suddenly stopped his discreet peeking to fully turn his way.

Kakashi was looking expectantly at him now, prompting the blond to walk out into the open. He was quiet, waiting for Minato to make the first move, but the blond didn't know what to say. Somehow, Minato didn't think verbally point out his interpretations and concerns, or rather  _anything_  that was related to Sakumo's disgrace, was such a good idea; not when Minato felt like they'd only just gotten through that mess and Kakashi finally seemed to be getting over his trauma. And maybe it  _didn't_  have anything to do with Sakumo; maybe Kakashi was just too shy to tell Minato he wanted to train?

"So-o … prodigy, huh?" Minato finally murmured out, stating the obvious, when that was the only thing left to say.

**x**

Kakashi noticed Minato fairly quickly. The man's suppressed chakra was hardly hidden low enough for someone of Kakashi's true caliber. Not to mention, Kakashi had already been expecting Minato to give into his worries and spy on him sooner or later; he'd been keeping an eye out for Minato every time he left.

Instead of heading towards his usual training spot, Kakashi loitered around the village for a little while before heading off towards one of the older and rarely used areas around the peripheral forests of Konoha.

Kakashi knew he couldn't practice his jutsu with Minato watching because, quite honestly, that would've been far too advanced for a child, prodigy or not. Instead, Kakashi opted to re-work on a few simple forms and a light bit of exercise. At the last minute, he'd glanced over at Minato to remind himself of the blond's presence, unexpectedly catching the Namikaze's notice as well.

Kakashi cursed lightly in his mind before turning to look at his guardian, pretending like that had been his intention all along. Minato looked contemplative when he stepped into Kakashi's view. There were worried creases around the man's eyes, and Kakashi wondered for a quick second what sort of misinterpretations the blond had this time for Kakashi's sneaking around.

Minato was quiet for a little while, looking like he was debating with himself, before he finally spoke. "So-o … prodigy, huh?" the man said faintly.

"Problem?" Kakashi asked lightly, his tone something crossed between challenging and aloof.

The blond scratched his chin, "Er, well, other than the fact that I think I've underestimated the term 'prodigy'," Minato replied in a deceptively calm voice. Kakashi had a feeling Minato was overwhelmed inside, and if given the chance, he would be reacting quite loudly. "Are you doing this on purpose? Every time I think I've grasp how you are like, you go and do something unbelievable!"

The silver-haired boy offered a shrug. "Terms are subjective," Kakashi said offhandedly, "And I have a reliable source that kids are unpredictable."  _And hyperactive. And knuckleheads. And orange_.  _…_ well, maybe not that reliable. "Should I be concerned about you following me everywhere?" Kakashi asked before Minato could gather his wits and take control of the conversation to move towards topics Kakashi could only lie to the man about.

"Not  _everywhere_ ," Minato cut in before he could help himself.

Kakashi let his lips twitched upwards. "Is that so? I recall you appearing before another one of my usual haunts a while ago," Kakashi said, referring to the time Minato found him when he was by the Uchiha Compound. The silver-haired boy hadn't meant to lead Minato there; he'd gone to the Uchiha Compound to remind himself of the goals he'd sworn to himself, and maybe hoping to spot Obito just once before he would be locked away for who-knows-how-long in the Root program. Kakashi hadn't need Danzou to repeat the fact he was a minor to know he wouldn't be allowed to live alone; Kakashi had accepted his fate despite his constant rejections, already rethinking his strategy to use his initiation into Roots to his advantage. Turned out it was unnecessary, and it was all the better, Kakashi supposed. Kakashi didn't know how long he would be able to stand obeying the man who made two of his precious students' lives so unbearable.

Speaking of Danzou, Kakashi still didn't know what to do with the man. Despite the man's nature, Danzou was still a respected Elder of Konoha, and Kakashi couldn't lightly accuse the man without a solid case – and maybe not even then, being six and all; children, after all, were known to lie and exaggerate.

"That was  _one_  time and only because I needed to find you to clear up the misunderstanding," Minato corrected hastily, voice cutting through Kakashi's thoughts, "And this time I … I was worried."

Kakashi let out an amused huff. It felt like Minato was perpetually worried for him, no matter what he did. "I can take care of myself," Kakashi reminded gently, feeling like he had been repeating that same phrase far too many times already.

Minato's cerulean eyes softened. "I know, Kakashi, but well, it's the obligation of a parent to feel worried for their child. I will still worry for you when you're thirty-six, let alone when you're only six," the man pointed out with a fond smile on his face.

As far as excuses went, that one could not be argued against, Kakashi knew that much. Because that 'obligation' exceeded just parent and child. As a Jounin instructor, Kakashi had a feeling his hidden concern for his precious students were just a milder version of what Minato was trying to explain to him. Kakashi waved his hand in a languid manner, "Aaa, I suppose that's fine. I expected something like this in the first place."

There was a faint blush dusted on the blond's face as Minato chuckled lightly. "So, is that what you've been doing most days?" Minato asked curiously.

"Sometimes," Kakashi agreed cautiously, wondering how much training he should admit to. His own father was quite lenient with a six-year-old training on his own, but Kakashi wasn't sure Minato would allow him to continue if he didn't downplay his actual training schedule. "Other times I merely cloud gaze."

"That's nice…" Minato's voice stretched like he wanted to say more.

"Yes?" Kakashi prompted.

Minato shot the boy a worried glance as if trying to judge Kakashi's reaction before pushing on the issue. "I don't want to seem persistent by not letting this go, but regarding your self-training… It's dangerous to train without letting anyone know beforehand. What if you pull something, or if there is a jutsu misshape, or chakra exhaustion? No one will realise the significance of your disappearance until too late." The blond pinned a strict stare into Kakashi's eyes, "you understand what I mean, right?"

Kakashi dipped his head into a nod. "Yes," he said dutifully, recognising Minato's soon-to-be 'Hokage-stare' that demanded compliance.

The blond softened at Kakashi's lack of complaint. "And you know, if you asked, I would happily join you!" Minato added cheerily.

Unfortunately, that would only drag down Kakashi's process, especially if he didn't want to alarm Minato with unexpected moves or techniques much too similar to the Copy-cat's style. "I prefer training alone."

"Well, that's fine too, I suppose," Minato said, without bothering to hide his sulking expression, "But in that case, whenever you go out to train on your own from now on, I expect you to inform me when, where, and for how long, understood?"

"Yes'sir," Kakashi promised, lying barefacedly.

Either Kakashi was too good at lying with a guilty conscience or Minato believed in Kakashi too much to expect the boy to lie to his face, but the blond accepted Kakashi's words with a smile. Kakashi's guilt throbbed in his chest. "Good. Now do you want to come shopping with me since you're done for the day?" Minato continued guilelessly.

It was hours too earlier for Kakashi's training to be over, but Minato didn't need to know that. Minato didn't need to know Kakashi maintained an actual training schedule instead of a child's parody version of one. With a shrug, Kakashi slipped beside Minato, looking up at the man with a smile under his mask. "I'm ready to go whenever you are," he said obediently.

Minato beamed at that, and Kakashi wondered if perhaps he should be spending more time with Minato if such tiny things made the blond happy so quickly.

* * *

 

_Chapter 43: Haven_

Kakashi hadn't realized the date or even expected Minato to know the significance of September the fifteenth until the blond suddenly sang him a quick  _"Happy Birthday!"_  to him early one morning the moment Kakashi stepped out of his bedroom in their little apartment unit.

Kakashi froze, blearily eyed and still full of sleep. He stared blandly at the man in front of him for longer than strictly necessary, and then he checked the clock.

"It's not even five," Kakashi pointed out wearily at the lively blond, "Why are you awake already?" Frankly, had Kakashi not decided to sneak out to train (without permission, of course), he wouldn't even have woken up so early himself. The silver-haired boy paused, taking another look at the blond who seemed much too energetic to have gotten up any time recently. "Did you even sleep?" Kakashi added.

The blond shrugged, a grin in place even as he proceeded to ignore Kakashi's question. "I wanted to be the first one to congratulate you for turning another year older."

The Hatake stared at his guardian, wondering for a moment if he had been wrong after all these years, and that Naruto's questionable intellect was genetically from his father. "Considering you're always the first person I see, I don't believe it was necessary to wake up so early just to wait for me." Then again, maybe Kakashi hadn't been as discreet as he'd thought he'd been, and Minato knew he regularly left in the mornings to train before the blond woke up. Kakashi  _did_  go out 'training' occasionally with Minato's consent as well, but the times he went as his six-year-old self was so sparingly it couldn't have been considered genuine training at all. He'd only continued to ask for permission in order to appease Minato's wishes, but if the man knew how much Kakashi truly trained, he'd likely think twice before allowing him to out unsupervised. Kakashi left majority of his actual training to times Minato was not informed of. But now … Kakashi couldn't be sure how much Minato knew, and how much this was just clueless teasing. With someone like Minato, it could easily be either.

"Well, there's always Pakkun," the blond pointed out seriously before Kakashi could dwell on that idea any longer.

Kakashi forced his mind back on the issue at hand. "You do realise you're competing with a dog?" the silver-haired boy said slowly.

"He's a cheeky dog."

Kakashi couldn't argue with that. "Aaaa, but why would I summon him in the morning for no apparent reason?" Kakashi tried to counter logically.

Minato hummed to himself, trying to come up with a decent answer, before letting it go with a shrug. "Good point." The blond grin, "Anyways, since we're both up, I'll fix you a big, lavish birthday breakfast while you freshen up." Minato shooed Kakashi to the washroom where the silver-haired boy had been initially heading towards. Kakashi rolled his eyes in exasperation, but under his mask laid a tender smile.

**x**

Minato was as cheerful and animated as ever when the two of them finished up breakfast. Breakfast, despite what the Namikaze had declared, was simple and not extravagant as Kakashi had feared. When they were done eating, Minato leaned across the table towards Kakashi. "So, anything you'd like as a present?" the man asked, eyes gleaming affectionately.

Kakashi stalled for time with a surprised blink – although, to be honest, his shock was quite genuine. It had been a long while since anyone celebrated his birthday, let alone buy him anything like a present. Anyone who knew when Kakashi had been born had been long dead by the early half of his life, and the Jounin never bothered telling another soul after that. "Another dog cushion?" Kakashi considered, saying the first idea that came to mind. "… another seven cushions, actually." The rest of the pack were getting a bit jealous.

Minato wondered a short, "why would Pakkun need eight cushions?" before shaking his head. "For you, Kakashi. Not Pakkun," the blond admonished.

Kakashi smiled over at the man. No matter how cheesy it sounded, Kakashi didn't think anything was a better present than the knowledge that Minato was alive and happy (along with Obito and Rin), and he already had that. "I don't need anything."

"But Kakashi!" the blond practically whined.

Kakashi arched a silver eyebrow. "You sound like  _you're_  the one receiving the gift," the boy commented, amused.

Minato gave an embarrassed chuckle, running a hand through his messy sunshine blond hair. "Well, it's the first birthday I get to celebrate with you. I want to make it memorable." The man tilted his head to the side, "Are you sure there's nothing you want?"

If he could have the soul of his father to place back into his cold, hollow body, that would be the best gift them of all. Then his family would finally be whole once more, and his heart's hole would be filled in. It seemed that some things, no matter how long time past, could never be fully healed.

"I can't think of anything," Kakashi finally said instead.

Minato rubbed his chin thoughtfully, either too excited or too considerate during Kakashi's birthday to mention the small, dark haunting ghost behind Kakashi's eyes. Minato gesture towards the door. "Want to wander around the village to see if anything catches your eye?"

Kakashi looked at the man's eager face, so thrilled at the idea of sharing Kakashi's seventh birthday with him. To be honest, the man's excitement was almost contagious. Kakashi shrugged more energetically than he otherwise would have. "Why not?" he said to the blond's affectionate grin. "You have to walk off all that food anyways," he added cheekily, because that's what boys do, isn't it?

**x**

The walk was surprisingly eventful. Kakashi never expected to stop for anything. In fact, he'd expected to walk through the whole of Konoha with Minato by his side without anything striking his interest, let alone 'catch his eye,' as the blond had put it. However, not too long into their little stroll, Kakashi couldn't help himself glancing over as he suddenly caught the movements of a short, stubby plant swaying in the wind. It was so …  _nostalgic_.

Minato, of course, noticed the sudden falter in Kakashi's pace. With a grin the man directed the silver-haired boy over to the humble nursery despite the boy's protests. "You should've told me you liked plants," Minato commented happily.

The shopkeeper greeted them with a smile as Minato physically dragged his charge into the nursery. Perky, colourful flowers greeted their sight at the entrance in all shades of the rainbow. "How about gerberas?" Minato asked, already pulling the boy towards the brightest flowers standing in the shop, placed in crowded bunches.

Kakashi glanced at it, running a critical eye at the intensely vibrant petals of the flower. If flowers were shinobi, Kakashi could name another blond sometime in the future who was just as bright and loud as that. And as much as Kakashi suddenly pondered the idea of getting some vibrant flowers – perhaps one orange, one pink, and one blue – that really wasn't what Kakashi was looking for at the moment. "Something more green," he suggested.

"A Spider plant?" Minato offered, walking towards the potted plant sat near the back of the shop, with its leaves overflowing around its rim, "or an aloe?"

In his mind's eye, Kakashi saw the plant he wanted. The sturdy, robust thing that survived Kakashi's erratic living style and constant forgetfulness. "Taller. With wide leaves alternating around its stem," Kakashi recalled fondly, "that shivers emphatically during wistful days, stands up proudly during peaceful times, and keeps by my side in quiet company."

A blond eyebrow was raised at that. "You do realise we're looking at plants, right?"

Kakashi shrugged but remembered the shiny green leaves of his beloved plant who stayed strong and held on no matter how late Kakashi was at watering him due to prolonged missions or unwanted stays in the hospital. He remembered the plant that was always there to happily welcome him home, no matter how many men he'd failed to save, or how many men he'd killed in cold-blood.

"Oh, how about this one?" Minato suddenly called over, waving from a crouched spot by the ground. The blond had teased him about the description of Mr. Ukki, but he'd certainly paid attention as well. The moment Kakashi saw the plant Minato was gesturing at, his heart leaped.

This was it.

Well, it wasn't as tall as Mr. Ukki, but it certainly looked like the tiny plant Naruto had initially given Kakashi, and certainly similar to the plant Kakashi had grown to adore. Kakashi never knew the type of plant Mr. Ukki was, but he could recognise it in a heartbeat.

"Yes," the silver-haired boy said unhesitatingly when Minato moved to pick up the large pot. "Please." He didn't pay any attention to the smug ' _what did I tell you'_  face Minato made as the man paid for the plant, or the amused expression the blond directed at him as Kakashi insisted to carry the plant home himself.

Kakashi hugged the pot, wrapped around in his too-small arms, as they exited the shop. Minato was grinning all the way back, and grinning even still as he opened his apartment door, watching as the boy carefully put the pot down on the kitchen counter.

The blond studied the plant intently before turning towards Kakashi. "Any ideas where you're going to put it?"

Kakashi rubbed a leaf between his pale fingers like petting his dogs. He gave out a silent hum staring down at the plant. "Mmm … where do you want to sit, Mr Ukki Junior?" he asked it.

Minato sounded like he choked on something. "W-who?"

"Mr Ukki Junior," the silver-haired time-traveler said proudly. In the same moment, Kakashi pulled out a pencil to scrawl on the name onto the ceramic plant pot in his scratchy writing. Minato was by his shoulder staring at the name at each stroke Kakashi made.

For a second the blond looked like he wanted to comment before shaking his head in exasperation. "Okay," he said before pressing a hand onto his face.

Kakashi only offered a smile in response.

"So then," Minato started again once what was left of his befuddlement slowly dissipated from his face, "Where's Mr Ukki senior?"

Kakashi was certain of the amusement he felt at the blond's words, unusually joyful at the fact the blond was playing along like he wasn't confused. And as for the original Mr Ukki, Kakashi recalled, his favourite plant was sitting beside the photographs of two generations of Team Seven. "He's watching over the most precious people in my life."

Kakashi didn't mind how Minato didn't really understand, but he appreciated the blond's "Good for him" all the same. The boy cradled the pot, making sure his child strength muscles held on tightly as to not drop Mr Ukki Junior. "Do you mind if I put him in my room?" Kakashi asked, wondering if it was rude to hide it somewhere Minato couldn't see. It was, after all, something Minato had wanted as memorial of Kakashi first birthday with him; it was special not only to Kakashi, but Minato as well.

The blond only waved dismissively from his spot. "Go ahead."

Kakashi nodded his thanks, making his way into his room.

It wasn't hard figuring out where he wanted to put Mr. Ukki Junior. In fact, he'd known where to place Mr. Ukki Junior the moment Minato had picked up the potted plant from the nursery ground. The time-traveler settled the plant on his window sill before moving a recently taken picture of Minato and himself beside it. The seven-year-old sat back on his bed, recently pushed in front of the window, admiring the scene before him. The room looked so similar to the one back home in the future now, with everything put the same way. If Kakashi let go of his senses long enough, he could fool himself into believing he was still in the future.

For a while Kakashi revelled in the comfort of what felt like a piece of normalcy juxtaposed into a world so foreign. This was his secret little garden in the unanticipated new world he was thrown in; a little safe haven whenever things started to become too much for him.

That was all he needed.

Hopping off the bed, Kakashi made his way back to Minato, a refreshed smile on his face that resonated from deep within the heart. Kakashi would never admit it, but he'd been feeling anxious lately, realising all the little things he would never see once more in this new life. Sometimes, a little constant was like a breath of fresh air, complete with all it's calming properties. One breath, and he felt fresh to face the world once more.

* * *

 

 

 

_Chapter 44: Impediment_

Over the course of the year with Kakashi, Minato had seen the unknown ninja –  _the Copy-cat ninja –_  twice more on his own missions, bringing up the total count up to three. That is not to say the Copy-cat only appeared only twice more in total; there were many other sightings of the man from other teams Minato had not been a part of. In fact, the Copy-cat seemed to be appearing more and more frequently as the months when by, as though the man was gaining confidence in slipping in behind them.

The second time Minato saw the Copy-cat, he'd only barely caught a glimpse of the distinctive crimson scarf fluttering in the wind before it disappeared amongst the green of the trees.

Minato had given a discreet nod to his teammates, who'd collectively confirmed beforehand that he'd be the one to engage with that particular ninja, before Minato dashed out towards him. The blond was close enough to catch the Copy-cat's eyes widening when the other ninja finally caught sight of Minato speeding his way. Minato couldn't help his own cerulean eyes sparkling in triumph, confident in his speed - and once the final kinks of his Hiraishin were worked out, he would be even quicker.

But even without it, Minato had chased the raven-haired shinobi without fail. The Copy-cat had leapt up into the trees, weaving and ducking under branches, trying to keep himself camouflaged. Minato stayed near the ground, allowing him to move faster without dodging stray branch limbs every couple steps. He had the disadvantage of losing sight of the Copy-cat every now and then as thick branches obstructed his view, but Minato managed to keep up. Eventually, luck was on Minato's side as the blond found the Copy-cat mere inches away from his stretched hands. It was in that exact same moment the raven-haired man abruptly changed directions, kicking off the bark of the tree, while firing a couple kunai in front of Minato's feet to keep him from following.

Minato side-stepped them easily, as he'd been expecting the man to throw weapons at him since the beginning of the chase in the first place. In fact it was always quite surprising running always seemed to be the Copy-cat's first choice of action instead of engaging in battle.

Minato sailed an exploding tag tied to a kunai past the Copy-cat, letting the explosion halt the other man. He'd hoped that that would cause the man to double back towards him, but the Copy-cat only kicked off upwards the moment he saw the tag, letting the force of the blast pushed him across the sky faster. Minato felt himself grinning at the challenge before he caught himself and sped after the other man once more.

Just when Minato contemplated about throwing a Hiraishin sealed kunai, even though the chances of it working properly at the current time was quite low, did the Copy-cat finally seemed to have had enough, skidding to a halt.

The Copy-cat's posture was bent low in a defensive stance, which was odd because Minato was sure the man would've been livid enough at the chase (or at least livid at Minato for interrupting whatever it was the Copy-cat had been attempting to do before Minato chased him) to attack him. Minato took careful steps as he approached the man.

"Would it make a difference if I politely asked you to leave me alone?" the man asked half-heartedly, his voice as tense as his posture - tenser every forward step Minato took.

Minato arched a blond eyebrow, but stopped when he was a good meter away. "Wouldn't that be the other way around? I seem to recall it was you who was trailing us first."

The Copy-cat tilted his head to the side, but otherwise held still, the only movement the fluttering of his crimson scarf. "Could we call that a coincidence?"

Minato scoffed. The Copy-cat looked like he was sulking at Minato's reaction, before the man straightened his back, stretching a bit. Eyes narrowed, Minato discreetly adjusting his own stance even while the Copy-cat grinned derisively at him from under the scarf. "Now, now, no need to get so paranoid," the man tsked.

Minato ignored him. "Will you come quietly with me?" the blond said sternly instead.

"I'm a busy man," the Copy-cat replied nonchalantly. Minato palmed his kunai in response, forcing the other man shake off his humour to a frown. "I won't attack you; I have no quarrel with Konoha-nin."

"And with Iwa-nin?" Minato questioned, flowing through the other man's excuse. Minato had yet to forget the determination the Copy-cat showed when he'd assisted Minato in defeating the Iwa-nins attacking his team. But even if he responded he was against Iwa, like Konoha, that didn't mean Minato would trust him - it was too much of a coincidence. To be honest, there was no good answer to the question that wouldn't result in Minato hauling the man away as a possible threat.

The Copy-cat, realising this or not, only lifted a shoulder in a parody of a shrug. "My help is event specific," he said in place of a proper answer.

Minato frowned at those words, displeased with the man's infuriating response. "As that may be, you are still coming with me." Minato gave a deliberate pause, "Unless you plan to retaliate and escape with your fancy jutsu?" Minato asked, referring to the ball of lightening he'd seen the man wield the last time they met.

"Do I need to kill you?" the Copy-cat countered mildly.

So it was possibly an assassination jutsu, Minato deduced. Either that or the man was so sure of his skill that he considered any level jutsu more lethal than Minato. Outwardly, the blond only shrugged. "How should I know?" Minato said, "You've never stated your purpose."

"Do I need a purpose other than friendly assistance?"

It was exasperating trying to grill the other man when he answered back in questions of his own. But then again, the Copy-cat's wording was likely designed for that exact purpose. "If you are indeed 'friendly', then I suppose you wouldn't mind coming back to Konoha with me? If you truly mean Konoha no harm, you have nothing to fear," Minato reasoned. As he said this, his muscles were taut and ready because no matter his answer, the Copy-cat was coming with him.

The Copy-cat crossed his arms. "How boring," he said defiantly, "every answer I give leads back to the same outcome." The man gave Minato a pointed look which the blond refused to respond to. He scoffed, uncrossing his arm. "Well then, if that's how you're going to be." The Copy-cat leaned forward, looking as though he was about to dash towards Minato. Minato steadied himself for an attack, but then, without warning, the Copy-cat disappeared into a quiet puff of smoke instead, leaving the blond standing alone.

_A shadow clone._

Various other teams had also mentioned spotting, or occasionally assisted by, the Copy-cat before he would dispel himself to avoid capture.

Whether or not the Copy-cat helped only Konoha shinobi or any random soul he spotted, no one who got close enough to question him managed to get a honest response. It was almost enough for Minato to regret letting the man go the first time he'd encountered him, when the man was clearly weak enough to subdue without too much effort ... but then again, Minato _had_  owed him; Minato's teammates would've died without his assistance.

So now, Minato could only join other Jounins in keeping his eyes and ears open throughout missions in order to spot the Copy-cat wherever he appeared next.

For the longest time Minato didn't think much of the Copy-cat except that he was  _'a threat with dubious alliances'_. It was only when Minato caught a glimpse of the crimson scarfed man crouched in front of Konoha's memorial stone, when Minato started to contemplate the idea that perhaps the Copy-cat didn't have any ulterior motive despite the backdrop of a war hanging behind everyone's back; he was only trying to make up to the (family, friends, teammates?) comrades that he'd lost in battle and had been too late to save - a vigilante who served no one but himself.

This was the third time the Namikaze saw the man.

**x**

Minato considered pulling out his weapons and dropping into an offensive stance when he realised just  _who_  was by Konoha's memorial stone. But the man, the Copy-cat, was kneeled in front of the stone, hands clasped into a prayer for those who'd been killed in action. The man seemed genuine enough in his prayers, and if he could help it, Minato didn't want to have to engage in battle in front of such a sacred place. The stone with the names of those honourably killed in action meant a lot to everyone in the village - damage the stone sustained from the crossfire of a fight was akin to trampling over and destroying a loved one's grave.

Besides, it wasn't like Minato managed to sneak up on the Copy-cat. As a shinobi who'd managed to merrily evade the Konoha teams sent to chase after him so many times, Minato didn't doubt the man had already sensed him, despite haven't moved a muscle.

When the Copy-cat gave a final bow before turning around towards the blond Jounin, Minato was still crouched low and tense, but otherwise looked harmless.

"Can I help you?" the Copy-cat asked conversationally, ignoring the fact he was on Konoha grounds, or that Minato was standing dangerously attentive beside him.

Minato allowed himself a second to glance over the man. "Let me guess, you're another clone," Minato said.

"Oh, good, you're catching on."

"What business do you have in Konoha?"

The man's head tilted to the side before a pale hand, slowly, as to show Minato he wasn't there to fight, gestured at the sleek black memorial stone. The petals of a fresh bundle of flowers at the base of the stone fluttered gently. "Paying my respects," he answered as if Minato couldn't have seen for himself.

"For whom?"

"Aaah…" If Minato wasn't mistaken, the man's dark eyes seemed to drift towards the uncarved, unblemished space of the stone. Behind his eyes, names Minato couldn't see engraved themselves onto the surface. "To those who gave their lives to the village, their people, and their children without a second thought."

The Copy-cat's voice, despite its roughness, conveyed his pain of loss with every word he said. He was someone who'd lost a lot, and Minato would hazard a guess that the man was only still holding strong despite all that because he was trying his hardest to live his life for them. The air between the two shinobi lingered with understanding in the pause before Minato spoke up once more. "You do realise you are illegally trespassing Konoha grounds," Minato stated firmly, not allowing himself to be swayed by compassion for the other man.

The Copy-cat ninja only shook his head softly as he let his gaze drift off into the distance.

"I will escort you to Anbu holding to be taken for questioning due to your actions. If you are not to comply quietly, I will be required to use force," Minato continued with a voice kept as neutral as he could make it.

"I am just a clone," the Copy-cat said softly, head thrown upwards, staring up into the orange-hazed sky and only then seeming to notice the time, "and not one who will last much longer." The Copy-cat was  _always_  a clone, it seemed. It was so often that some of the jounin were starting to joke that there was no real body, but endless clones. Minato knew better, recalling the stomach wound the Copy-cat had obtained the first time they'd met. A sturdy clone could at the very most last through one or two light hits, but definitely not from a wound as deep as the one Minato recalled. Nor could one bleed.

"Nevertheless," Minato responded, persistent. If the Copy-cat had appeared once as the real body, there was a chance he would do it again. As long as there was no proof otherwise, Minato would take his word as a bluff.

Dark eyes flickered back down onto Minato the moment the blond took a step towards him. The scarfed man seemed to study him intently before tilting his head upwards again, words softly breathed through his lips, "Stubbornness is a good trait. You know, there is so much I want to do sometimes; so many people I want to help. But there is so little I can do with my actions restricted, and having to slowly, cautiously test out how far I can push the limit before I find myself losing everything I'm trying so hard to fight for. I have to fight not just everyone around, but myself as well. If this was you, what would you do?"

The Copy-cat glanced over at Minato, who refused to show any reaction. Yet, a wiry smile formed when the man saw his face. The Copy-cat schooled his face back to a nonchalant expression a second later as he leaned backwards, compelling Minato to take another step towards him. "I honestly am not a threat to Konoha, but I'm afraid I'll have to decline coming with you," the man stoutly, acting like the short monologue had not occurred, "Goodbye."

Perhaps the soliloquy had been said as nothing more than distraction, trying to throw Minato for a loop, but whatever it was, it didn't dull the blond's reactions. Before the man even finished his parting sentence, Minato's hand already had a three-pronged kunai clutched in it, already propelling it towards the man in the next heartbeat. Unlike most ninjas, however, the man didn't try to knock the weapon out of the way in pure instinct; he didn't stay present for that little extra second more that gave Minato enough time to transport himself in front of the Copy-cat. Instead the man had stared at the unique three prongs of the kunai, gave a chuckle at it, and quickly puffed out of existence, leaving nothing more but tendrils of white smoke weaved up the sky to freedom. Minato growled, standing solitarily in front of the stone with frustration stretched on every line of his face.

"Lost him," Minato muttered, rubbing a gloved hand to his face. There was anger within him at the loss, but what Minato hated the most with each meeting with the Copy-cat was not his lost chance at capturing the man, but how slowly and surely, Minato was starting to feel convinced the Copy-cat was not a threat to Konoha - not unless they harmed the people close to him - despite the lack of concrete evidence to support this assumption.

* * *

Even if Kakashi could easily claim that he loved being younger, he honestly couldn't care less about his age. It wasn't being seven that he enjoyed, but rather having everyone who he'd once taken for granted around him with their faces whole, flushed, and  _alive_. In fact, if pressed hard enough, Kakashi would likely admit he actually cursed his age.

Being short, prepubescent, and underestimated, Kakashi could take in stride. It may irk him at times, but in the end, it never bother Kakashi much, knowing how much he gained in exchange for that. The problem was that Kakashi sometimes felt like he was losing himself to the conscious of the child within him. He'd noticed a discrepancy in the actions of his current self in comparison to how he'd been before this regression. He was more emotional, having a harder time controlling the swirling, overflowing sentiments that seemed to demand to be allowed to flow out of the corked bottle he'd gotten used to habitually stuffing it in. Kakashi had tried to place the problem down to the shocking experience brought by time traveling, even while another part of him knew perfectly well he was being pulled into the temperance of a child.

Kakashi had tried to brush it off at first, merely telling himself (hoping to himself) that it would pass with time. But it hadn't. And somewhere along the lines, Kakashi realised that it wasn't just his emotions; as he looked back on his actions, Kakashi had a feeling that perhaps his judgement had been compromised as well.

Kakashi had followed his marred instincts on how to act, realising only much too late they were not to be trusted. Sometimes he'd immerse himself too deeply in his emotions and role when he'd been trying to make the most of his time with his family, and short of being an ' _emotionless, detached_   _tool'_  like how shinobi were traditionally taught to be, it was impossible to keep himself distanced enough from this long-forgotten feeling of bliss to not fall into the trap of being seven.

Maybe if Kakashi  _had_  been his child-self - the one who'd strived to be the perfect tool, throwing away his heart so not even a drop of feeling could seep into it - then maybe he wouldn't have made these mistakes, never allowing his emotions to overrule reason (but then again, as  _that_  Kakashi, would he have loved Konoha enough to try changing her future in the first place?).

Kakashi could name a few separate occasions where his impatience, childish compliantness and conceitedness overtook his logic, and his actions were incited by overpowering emotions. Lessons strengthened through time and experience were trampled upon by the vanity and short-sightedness of his child-self who was guiding (dragging) him through his actions. This mentality was something kids shed as their cognitive ability improved - things that Kakashi  _had_  shed as he matured. But now they were back.

The thought of that made Kakashi uncomfortable because if he wanted to change the future, he couldn't afford any mistakes. Life was rolling by relatively calmly at the moment, but that would not be the case forever; not with the impending war just up ahead. Kakashi couldn't afford to second guess himself, wondering if something he had on his mind was truly a good plan that even his Anbu-self would agree on, or instead something skeptical, influenced slightly by the child mentality that was insisting on taking reign of his body and mind.

Kakashi had been trying to work on that unfortunate situation, and along the way, he grew more and more comfort in the times he  _henged_  into a taller form, comforted by the reminder of his actual age by the sight of this older body. He felt like himself once more - everything felt more familiar, looking at the world in this correct height. It was a way to remind himself that he  _was_  a man. He was twenty-something-or-another (he'd stopped keeping track himself a while ago), not seven. He wasn't a kid, and he wouldn't let himself fall completely into a child-like mentality, no matter how quickly and easily the child was dragging him into his pace.

As far as the henge went, while it  _was_  a henge of a taller form he used when training in the village, Kakashi knew better than to pull up that scarfed ninja disguise he'd been using around on missions. No, he'd henged into some nondescript shinobi who no one would look twice at, who would blend in into the handful of nameless shinobi that practiced around the Training Area, and who was much less conspicuous and less sought after than that the scarfed figure or even a prodigious seven-year-old.

Somewhere along the lines of separating out his disguises, Kakashi had started relating that scarfed figure with his past self. Even more so now that he had been using his moniker 'Copy-cat' for it. The Copy-cat had been everything he'd once associated with his older self, except for physical characteristics. So, it was no surprised that some things just didn't feel right unless Kakashi was going as 'himself'; like the memorial stone for instance – because it wasn't the seven-year-old Kakashi who had lost his loved ones in the upcoming wars, but his older self and all the qualities he'd connected to that self, who his comrades had sacrificed their lives for. It felt dishonourable to pray and promise them a better future in a form foreign to those unscripted names.

Kakashi was well aware of the dangers of appearing as the Copy-cat, but in the end, he threw out a clone with the instructions to pop before anyone got close.

Even so expecting of company, Minato's appearance was a shock. It startled him because Kakashi had been so immersed in the future, weaving promises and thanks through words of prayers that when Minato appeared over the sight of his own twenty-something-year-old hands clasped in front of him, Kakashi couldn't help but think for a hint of a second that he was back in the future, and Minato's ghost was standing over his back giving him a sign that everything was going to be okay from now on.

But Kakashi wasn't back in the future, and frankly that made everything even better. Because Kakashi still hadn't given up yet (and in the end, no matter what, he wouldn't. That was for sure) and he absolutely refused to give in to the child yearning to take over within his self. Even if Kakashi allowed himself to act childish around his dear family, he would not let it overtake all his senses - a child may not be able to, but  _man_  like him could restraint himself when necessary. With a solemn 'goodbye', Kakashi let his clone disperse in the memorial area, while back at home, Kakashi let the words he's swore in front of that stone carry him on.

* * *

 

 

_Chapter 45: Tease_

Between missions, tracking possible threats, training, and spending time with Kakashi, the months flew by quickly. Some kids were progressively rebellious as they grew older. Kakashi, in Minato's honest opinion, grew more and more lazy.

It wasn't like it was a bad thing, considering the tense ball of suppressed emotion the boy had once been. Heck, Minato could've easily pointed out that this only showed that Kakashi was settling down at last, relaxing in his presence. But honestly, that was no excuse for a seven-year-old to be acting like a sluggish old man with no sense of time.

Minato eyed the lounging boy draped across his couch. He clapped his hand loudly to get Kakashi's attention. "Isn't it such a nice day out today, Kakashi? Want to go out and run around a bit? The park maybe? Oh, how about talking Pakkun out for a walk?" the blond cried cheerfully, all purposefully full of energy.

His tone had no effect on the boy. Kakashi merely cracked a drooping eyelid open. "Hmm? Did you say something?" he asked lethargically, twinkle in his eyes, and more comfortable in front of Minato than months before.

"I said it's a nice day. Want to go to the park or play outside with Pakkun?"

Kakashi scratched his chin thoughtfully before looking cluelessly over at Minato as though he hadn't heard him that time either. "Hmm?"

"Go out?" Minato repeated succinctly, not even bothering to go into detail anymore.

"Maaaa..." Kakashi began, but only tapered off into a sleepy, half-lidded stare.

Minato rubbed a hand across his face, shaking his head into the palm of his hands. "What am I going to do with you, Kakashi?" It was meant to be said in exasperation and mildly admonishing, in a playful sort of way, but Kakashi immediately caught the uneasy ' _have I been doing anything wrong?'_  that was creeping under that sentence.

Any mirthful retort Kakashi had been prepared to shoot back ("Call me hip and trendy?") died on the boy's lips as Kakashi matched the sombre undertone of Minato's unspoken words. "You're worrying too much; you're doing fine."

Smile frozen on his lips, Minato's head shot up and his eyes fell quickly onto Kakashi. He was clearly dismayed Kakashi caught on to what he hadn't wanted the boy to hear. "What are you-"

The blond's excuse was cut off was a: "You think you're raising me incorrectly, and you're afraid that is why I'm so lazy," stated bluntly, with sharp blue-grey eyes staring attentively at him to judge his reaction.

"Aah, well …"

That was enough for Kakashi to realise he'd been correct. "That's not it," Kakashi insistent quickly, suddenly not so lethargic any longer. Sliding off the couch and planting himself in front of the blond, he forced Minato to look at him and see how honest his words were. "That's not it at all," the boy repeated, shaking his head, "You're doing fine. This is just how I am." With wonderful porn by his side as well, Kakashi wanted to add in as a joke, but that was certainly not seven-year-old humour. "Or you could just pretend I'm a Nara," Kakashi added instead, because that joke, however lame it was, was more suited to be said through the mouth of a child.

There was a silent second as the blond stared incredulously at the Hatake. Kakashi wondered if he should've gone with the porn if this was how Minato was going to react. Before Kakashi could change his mind, a bubble of laughter made its way past the blond's throat, spilling out in chuckles. "Well, as long as you're as smart as a Nara, I suppose I might allow it," the man retorted playfully.

A smile quirked into existence underneath Kakashi's navy mask, glad how easily amused Minato was, and pleased he'd managed to divert the man from his worries. "We'll never know," he commented cheekily in response, hopping back comfortably on the couch.

Minato grinned as he strode over, reaching over the back to hook the boy into a one handed hug. Kakashi tried to swat his arm away, glaring at the blond who refused to move from his personal space. "Then I guess we'll just have to try and wean you from being so lazy," Minato declared. Kakashi looked up curiously when the blond suddenly turned towards the kitchen. "Alright," Minato said, scouring his cupboards. Most parents tried to keep their children as far away from sugar as possible, and here Minato was, attempting to do the opposite, "let's get you something to eat."

It was a marvel at exactly how much Minato had sneaked into his kitchens without Kakashi ever realising. The whole cupboard was filled to the brim with brightly coloured, unopened bags of snacks.

Without a second thought, Minato scooped up the whole load and dumped it unceremoniously on his young charge, a smirk on his face as it buried the silver-haired boy. Kakashi wiggled his way through it, eyeing the bags amongst bags of candy on his lap with amusement. "I don't like sweets," he said in a challenging tone.

Minato pressed his lips into a thin line in an almost pout-like expression. "Aww, but I bought them all for you," he sulked good-naturally. All he was presented with was a silent, deadpanned look. Minato tapped his chin thoughtfully as his cerulean eyes wandered around the kitchen. "Coffee?" he tried again.

"You shouldn't give kids coffee – it stunts their growth," Kakashi happily informed him.

Minato hummed in agreement. "Right," he said, scratching his cheek. "So …"

"Tea?" Kakashi suggested.

Minato stared at the Hatake for a moment before shaking his head sadly. "You old man," the blond Jounin coughed indiscreetly, but he turned towards the kitchen to put the kettle on all the same.

"I'm healthy," Kakashi countered.

"You're boring," Minato pointed out teasingly. "I thought kids  _liked_  stuffing themselves full of sweets and being hyperactive, or pretending they were adults –  _not_ boring old men."

Kakashi shifted his legs, letting the bags around him crinkle as he turned around on the couch to face the kitchen. For a second the boy debated throwing a bag at his guardian in retaliation. "I think you need new child-bearing books."

The blond snorted, reaching for the cups. "I think I need a woman's touch," he said absentmindedly as he checked on the kettle, "I wonder if Kushina has any ideas-" The man froze, flushing when he remembered Kakashi's presence in front of him.

"Hmm? Do tell," Kakashi grinned knowingly at Minato, who did the only thing he could think of at the sight of such an expression - Minato promptly fled out of the room.

* * *

A couple days later, Minato assumed Kakashi had forgotten all about the slip of his tongue. The man sat down at the table for breakfast early that morning, Kakashi joining him not too soon after. Breakfast was a quiet affair until the boy suddenly looked up at him, a mischievous glint in his grey-blue eyes.

"You look strangely nervous today," Kakashi commented chopsticks twirling idly around his fingers. The boy tilted his head with cunning look stretched on his lips. "You wouldn't happen to have a date with a certain woman, would you?" he asked purposely, sounding much too smug.

"No," the Namikaze denied instantaneously, a warm blush dusting his cheeks. The look plastered on Kakashi's face was more than enough to stop Minato from going on with his denial.

"Redhead," Kakashi added innocently, rolling the word off his tongue in a sing-song voice.

Minato noticed for a while now that Kakashi seemed to enjoy teasing him. The boy went about it either verbally or by doing something completely baffling when the blond least expected it. Minato didn't know if he should be feeling amused or not about the whole thing, considering it was at his expense. "A-Anyways," the man tried to divert in embarrassment, but Kakashi was clearly having fun and Minato didn't have the heart to stop him.

The silver-haired boy tapped his lips contemplatively. "Now, did you ask her out on a date, or did you use the excuse of 'sharing ideas on how to get me to act more like a kid'?"

"I don't have a date."

"Oh, then you took the sly route?"

Under his blushing face, Minato wondered how Kakashi knew so much in the first place. He was certain he'd never mentioned Kushina before. Not that he was trying to hide his budding relationship with the woman from Kakashi, but he hadn't explicitly told the boy either. While Kakashi seemed so much more like a kid nowadays (or as childish as Kakashi was ever going to get), Minato wanted Kakashi to settle down some more before he dumped the boy with more information … like topic about his not-really-girlfriend-but-I-kinda-like-her-and-I'll-confess-sooner-or-later-maybe. Nevertheless, the blond fixed a playful glare at Kakashi. "It's just brunch together!"

A silver eyebrow rose expressively. "Aah, that's why you're picking at your food and not eating a lot. Saving room when you go to a certain ramen stand with a certain redhead?" Kakashi asked – or rather stated, more like.

"Have you been stalking me?"

The boy offered him a disparaging shake of his head. "Of course not, remember? I'm too lazy to do anything like following you around the village."

Minato snorted at the excuse, but he definitely couldn't deny that Kakashi was indeed lazy. The blond glanced over at his young charge who's face was grinning now. "Yeah, yeah," Minato muttered, rolling his eyes.

Kakashi's expression softened. "You know, you two look good together," the boy said, mind wandered to the perfect couple the two made in the future. Minato and Kushina – they were the envy of the their friends with their loving atmosphere.

Minato of the present didn't know when Kakashi saw them together, but he didn't ask. He doubt the boy would give him a serious answer anyways. "Thank you."

Kakashi glanced up at the future Hokage, curious eyes burning into the other man. "You  _are_  going to ask her out properly?" he asked pointedly.

Perhaps it was because of how intense Kakashi's attention was focused on Minato, but the blond shifted uncomfortably, running a hand through his sunshine blond hair. "Aaah, well, I'm busy you know? And it's not really a date; we just go out to eat together occasionally, that's all." The blond shook his head before looking over at Kakashi. "Besides, dates mean less time for me to spend with you," he proclaimed, leaning forward to ruffling Kakashi's hair and give him a stretching grin.

The boy lean back from the touch, refusing to allow the man to get off with that excuse. "I'm not a child," Kakashi pointed out, even though seven  _was_  quite a child. Kakashi recognised perfectly well that Minato meant 'spending time with Kakashi' as 'taking care of Kakashi'. "I can take care of myself, and you know it." Kakashi didn't know when his former sensei and Kushina got together, but he surely wasn't going to be the one to come between them. This was one aspect of the future Kakashi refused to change; he wouldn't let it, especially after knowing how blissfully happy Kushina made his sensei.

"Well – yes, but still, I do worry about you, you know." Minato sent the boy an apprehensive glance.

Kakashi dipped his head into a small nod. "I know," he said quietly. Knowing how much Minato loved him made him more certain than ever he wasn't going to get in the way of the one who fulfilled Minato's life. Minato was looking so sombre, and the look didn't fit the ever-cheerful sensei Kakashi was so used to. Minato was synonym to bright, hearty, and joyful, not something like this. The silver-haired boy let out a cough to catch Minato's attention. "Anyways, that's not important right now," he said, pretending he didn't hear the disagreeing sounds Minato was making to those words. He gave the blond a glance, "Right now, you have to get ready for your date, so stop looking like that before you scare her away."

The man let out a small choked cry of, "Kakashi!" while desperately continuing to deny that he was going on a date . Kakashi took no heed to him, forcing Minato to finally sigh as he realised he wasn't going to convince his young charge otherwise. "Well," Minato started suspiciously, "You're not going to be stalking me, are you?" he asked, distrust creeping shamelessly over his words.

Kakashi merely grinned to that. "Who do you think I am? Lazy, remember?"

Eyebrow raised, Minato held his gaze for another second longer before shaking his head. "Okay, okay, whatever you say," he said, lip wobbling as he tried to suppress his building grin of his own, "Whatever you say."

This was Minato's date (even if the man refused to admit it); of course Kakashi wouldn't ruin something so precious for his guardian - not until Minato thought it time to finally formally introduce Kushina to him. But then again, a part of Kakashi actually  _did_  want to stalk Minato around on his brunch date like the man had accused him of planning, just to see that heart-warmingly familiar scenes he'd witness in the future.

... so maybe a small peek wouldn't hurt? A small peek from far, far away?

Kakashi stared down at Ramen Ichiraku. From his vantage point on the rooftop, he could just make out the front of the bar, where two bodies sat side-by-side on the stools. The  _noren_ of the bar concealed their faces from Kakashi's sight, but even without looking at it, he could see the comfortable way the two interacted with each other. Kakashi smiled softly to himself. Perhaps on day not too far from now, Minato would invite him to join them, and then he would be granted the sighted of the whole scene before him, unobstructed from those dividing curtains.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The amazing person that she is, Crystia wrote me a gift-fic set in THP-verse! It's called How to Raise Your Ninja Child https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10457493/1/ Read it! It makes me weep when I think of how much better THP could be if Crystia wrote it.


	10. 46-48

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been helpfully informed by a reader that a Henge disperses with a hit. Unfortunately, I actually didn't know that; I thought that only happened with the Bunshin. Can we proceed with this fic under the assumption that a Henge is unaffected, please? (I'll love you all for it)

 

_Chapter 46: Invitation_

 

By now it was routine for Minato to find Kakashi reposing on the couch in the afternoon, lounging idly without a care in the world. With that same routine, Minato would wander over to Kakashi and ruffle his adopted son's unruly silver hair in goodbye as he left to train - but not before trying to drag the boy along as well. It was obvious the man didn't like leaving Kakashi by his lonely self.

"I'm going off training, Kakashi!" Minato said one morning, much like every other day "I'll be home soon."

Kakashi hardly moved from his spot, only turning towards the blond and lifting up a hand. "Yes'sir," the silver-haired boy murmured, giving a mock salute.

The blond shook his head with a laugh on his lips. "And one of these days you're going to come with me before you end up fat and lazy, lying around all day, with only your semi-monthly self-training," Minato teased. The boy grumbled as Minato mussed his hair playfully and pulled him up into a quick one armed hug. "Alright, see you soon," the man said, grabbing his green flake jacket on the way out.

"See you," Kakashi called out after him. The silver-haired boy watched as his former sensei shut and lock the door before allowing a mischievous pull tug around the corners of his lips. "Fat and lazy, huh?" Well, at least Minato got one right. But then again, purposely acting lazy didn't exactly count as being actually lazy, did it? And _were_  he fat, would it have really been Kakashi's fault, considering how Minato had been actively trying to stuff him with candy and other sweets over the last few months?

With a small chuckle, Kakashi turn on the couch from the twisted form he was in, facing away from the door and settling back properly on the cushions.

Despite what Minato thought (although, to be honest, Kakashi didn't know what Minato  _actually_  thought Kakashi did when the blond went out training), Kakashi didn't laze on the couch all day long. Kakashi was a warrior, and he took pride in his strength and physique, no matter the tiny little fact that he was technically a civilian nowadays. Even if he wanted to, Kakashi wouldn't have been able to help himself and his itching need to train.

Instead of training with his former sensei, however, Kakashi preferred working out on his own – which was why the boy declined the blond's offer every day. … well, no, that was half a lie. To be honest, Kakashi missed sparring with Minato. Every now and then, Kakashi craved exchanging blows with the man who'd been his greatest mentor, if anything, just to feel the sweet nostalgia of the good days that littered so sparingly in years that seems much too long ago.

But Kakashi couldn't, because he wouldn't be able to explain to Minato where and how he learned all the techniques and skills he would surely show. Kakashi  _could_  try not to use advanced arts, but Kakashi knew he would eventually get pulled into the battle because this was Minato, his sensei, his mentor, his future Hokage, he was sparring, and just thinking about it was enough to make him fervent and giddy.

But then again, Minato wouldn't go full out on him – not the same way they had when Kakashi was Jounin all those years back. Even though that was how a reasonable adult  _should_  act, there was a feeling akin to humiliation squirming in Kakashi at the idea of Minato holding back on him; a strong shinobi like Kakashi had his pride. Kakashi hated being taken lightly unless he was purposely trying to get others to underestimate him.

Kakashi's training regimen was taken care of by sneaking out whenever Minato wouldn't miss him. If Kakashi wasn't sure he would get away with being missing for a few hours, he would send out a  _henged_  clone to head out in his stead. He would pull up a nondescript  _henge_  and head out to the unused training grounds littered around the village - they were those old, worn-out grounds that had seen their fair share of jounins and now left mostly alone to be given the chance for green to sprout and fill out the cracked, charred grounds once more. Most shinobi never wandered around those grounds other than, perhaps, an occasional drop in a year or two to make sure the land was recovering well. Not one had yet to walk into the  _henged_  Kakashi's training just quite yet, though the jounin-turned-boy was certain he would be able to talk his way out of it should anyone see him and question his actions.

In the training grounds, Kakashi normally worked on his strength and agility. Although Kakashi knew physical prowess was important, especially seeing the muscle mass he'd built up over the years reduced back to baby fat, Kakashi never skirted his meditations either. It was more of a chakra exercise than actual meditation, but very much the same and especially advantageous because both Kakashi needed to work on. Kakashi had to pay close attention to the flow of his chakra as it cycled his body, making sure to keep the hold on his reserves tight and cloaked to avoid suspicion. The mediation allowed Kakashi to turn his mind inwards and focus on that. It also calmed his tense mind, keeping his emotions balanced – something Kakashi needed desperately after realising the capricious effects his kid-self seemed to increasingly have on his mental state.

Hopping off Minato's couch, Kakashi made his way into the comfort of his own room. With a small bounce off the soles of his feet to push himself up onto the bed, Kakashi crawled to the center of the mattress, sliding into a crossed legged form. With Minato away and the house to himself, Kakashi had more than enough time to slip into meditation and emerge before the blond returned home. Kakashi wriggled on the lumpy mattress, settling himself down comfortably, and then he closed his eyes and let his steady breath slowly inhale and exhale in gentle intervals. The hum of the wind, the birds, and the echoing barking of dogs off in the distance washed over Kakashi in a soothing tide. The sounds where catalogued in the back of Kakashi's mind, but he didn't pay it any more heed than that, preferring to empty out extraneous thoughts.

_In, out. In, out …_

Eventually the sounds quieted. Kakashi didn't know how long he had been sitting there for, but he wasn't lost enough in his own mind to not hear the abrupt, almost inaudiable creak of old floorboards stepped upon. It was only once, and it cut off just as abruptly without even full weight placed on it, but the sharp foreign sound made Kakashi's eyes snap open without a second thought.

Kakashi was greeted to the sight of his darkened bedroom.

The Hatake rolled silently off the bed, hand immediately snaking towards the kunai he'd hid between the mattresses long ago. Unconsciously he noted the time, realising he's been meditating much longer than he'd expected. Lowering himself nearer to the ground, Kakashi could feel the absence of vibrating footsteps, even though he knew there was someone wandering about. Kakashi was certain that creak on the floorboards he'd heard just a few seconds prior came from within their unit, despite the absence of any other sounds to confirm his suspicion. Kakashi kept his breathing low and his ears open, closing his eyes to focus of sensing the energy around him. Whoever was in the building, it was not Minato; the man had no reason to sneak around in his own home of all places, and the tendrils of chakra that Kakashi could just scarcely detect, invasively curling through the otherwise familiar house, wasn't as warm and gentle as Minato's own.

Suddenly, Kakashi whipped around, his arm snapping out with the kunai in hand, tip aimed to drive sharply into the unknown figure who'd crept behind him. The air shifted without a pause as the figure spun sharply to evade. The shine of weapons filled the other man's hands in the next second's breath, their legs bent ready to leap out at him.

Kakashi shot forwards at the man in pure instinct to protect himself in what was supposed to be the safety of his own home. With a quick push, Kakashi launched himself at the opponent. He slashed down with his kunai, barely drawing blood as the man slipped backwards once more.

The moment the other man flawlessly retaliated, Kakashi could tell from his seamless movements he was an experience, talented shinobi. Not a single maneuver was excessive and unnecessary towards his goal. Rushing towards Kakashi, the enemy shot out two kunai on either side of the boy, restraining him from escaping in either direction. With the wall at his back, it left only a straight path forward towards the enemy ninja where the other man was ready for him.

Of course, that was assuming Kakashi had been a normal boy. Kakashi huffed, knowing he'd been underestimated. Channeling chakra into his legs, Kakashi pushed off from the ground, using the wall behind him to propel himself on the ceiling and flip behind the enemy in one smooth leap.

Without even a break in the timing, Kakashi ascended on the man, one hand open to grasp onto him, kunai in the other, and a leg shooting forwards to unbuckle the man's knees and drop the enemy to the ground.

It was a pity Kakashi momentarily forgot he was in a smaller body, too caught up in the action of the fight. The Jounin-turned-boy was too used to engaging in battle (and training) in a taller henged form lately, rather than in his seven-year-old body. As a result, while his hand had successfully clasped onto the other man's wrist, Kakashi's leg only barely reached, giving the lack of strength necessary to collapse the man's stance. With a wave of his arm, the man broke Kakashi from his off-balanced hold, sweeping him backwards into a toppling chair, letting hard wooden edges dig into his spine. The silver-haired boy struggled under the man's grips as he was held down under weight of the other man's body, but his younger, weaker build was no match.

Kakashi worked on his breathing as he tried to make out the outline of the man holding him bound, "W-who are you?" he asked with a frighten child's wobbling tremor deliberately carried in each word.

"I mean you no harm," the other said, his appearance still cloaked under the shadows of the room.

Kakashi glanced down at the weapons the figure held in his hands as best as he could, still locked in the man's tight hold, "Is that so?" he countered disbelievingly, dropping the act when it was clear the man had no sympathy for terrified children.

The moment the words were spoken the weapons vanished, but Kakashi was still held hostage. "I merely retaliated to counter an attack. I had not initiated it."

"Then let me go. I've finished my attack."

The man shifted his hold on Kakashi, perhaps to help him feel more comfortable, and yet he still refused to relinquish his hold. From the corner of Kakashi's eyes, something on the man's arm glinted under the harsh illuminating light of dawning sunrays piercing through Kakashi's room window. Kakashi squinted when the man shifted suddenly, unintentionally giving Kakashi a view that caused him to stiffen in the man's hold. It was a hitai-ate – a  _Konoha_  hitai-ate - tied around the arm.

 _What was this?_  Attacking fellow villagers? An act of betrayal to the village? Kakashi narrowed his eyes as his mind threw an array of possibilities for him to consider.

"You still haven't told me who you are," Kakashi growled out, not bothering to keep his displeasure out of his voice.

"No one of consequence. I am only here to escort you to an invitation."

"This is not how you invite others out," Kakashi riposted, "no matter how socially awkward you are."

The man shifted side to side with Kakashi in his arms, as if considering a better way of hold him would make Kakashi more agreeable, before finally deciding against it. "I am here to escort you to an invitation,  _please,"_ the man said instead, as though it made a difference.

Kakashi frowned thoughtfully. "From whom?"

The man leaned forwards, suddenly giving Kakashi a full face view of the tell-tale white ceramic mask that covered his face. The mask was swirled with an inked designed, etching an animal's face neatly on it. "A very important person wishes to talk to you," the Anbu said with a voice that seemed like he was trying to excite Kakashi, but the tone sounded much too hollow and well practiced for Kakashi's liking. "He has a problem only you can resolve." Kakashi had a feeling the wording was supposed to make him feel honoured enough to accept the invitation without another thought, but were kids really that gullible?

"No," Kakashi said candidly, and he had good reason to refuse. Kakashi had once been in Anbu, and he knew all about his fellow Anbu's masks to easily identify majority of the designs used by the Special Assassination and Tactical Division. This mask, however, was not one of the regulars. The lack of the Anbu tattoo on the man's left shoulder was also more than telling. Sometimes, Kakashi really wished Danzou's Root never existed.

The man moved anxiously with Kakashi in his arms, as if uncertain how to react to Kakashi's blunt refusal. "My orders are to escort you."

"I'm not going."

"It is to meet an important person," the man repeated, stuck on replay – likely because he hadn't been given orders on how to proceed should Kakashi refuse so adamantly, and he didn't know how else to convince a seven-year-old child other than repeating the tempting offer he was ordered to relay.

Kakashi wriggled in the man's arm, trying to dislodge himself free, "I said no. Let me go." Kakashi's hands were locked in a ram seal, ready to force his way out, when the Anbu suddenly stiffened. The man's head inclined ever so slightly, as if sensing something beyond Kakashi's room, before looking muddled and uncertain of what to do next.

Kakashi took the opportunity to leap from the Anbu's arm. He wasn't even halfway down when the Anbu spurred into sudden action, hastily snatching Kakashi from midair and pulling him tight. "I won't l–"

The last thing Kakashi saw was the sight of a glistening senbon in the man's hand, curving inwards and heading towards the back of his neck. He never even managed to finished his sentence, and only just vaguely began recalling an acupoint around there that had the ability to render him unconscious, before the world disappeared before his very eyes.

Kakashi was gone before the door of his room slammed open once more, allowing one frantic Minato Namikaze in. Frantic became enraged when he realised not only was there an unknown ninja in his home, but also that Kakashi was, in fact, missing.

 

* * *

 

_Chapter 47: Operative_

 

"Danzou," was the first thing that came out of Kakashi's mouth as his lips curled downwards, "Of course."

Kakashi supposed he was growling the Elder's name a bit too resentfully, but he couldn't help it. Kakashi always had a thing against Danzou's methods after all he'd done to Konoha and his precious students. The man's latest stunt wasn't helping his case either.

It wasn't an attempted kidnapping, Kakashi supposed – Danzou knew he had to return Kakashi sooner or later unless he wished to anger Minato.

If he'd been a child though, Kakashi supposed, he might have accepted the Anbu's invitation without another word. The imposing figure of an Anbu (there was a reason why the operative allowed Kakashi to see his mask before continuing) was more than enough to get a child to gleefully obey. Especially with the line Danzou ordered his man to feed him. Every child in a ninja village knew that Anbu were under the control of the Hokage, and any child would have been pleased to follow their orders assuming they were sent by the Hokage himself.

If Kakashi had truly been the kid he was pretending to be, he wouldn't have been able to tell the Root masks apart from actual Anbu masks.

If Kakashi had truly been the kid he was pretending to be, Danzou would have gotten him to accept the invitation, managed to have a quick meeting with him, and returned him safely home before Minato even realised he was gone. It was likely they would've then cajoled Kakashi to keep silent about it. What kid didn't like secrets, after all? Especially ones between Hokage's finest operatives and themselves?

It was the perfect method to convert a child to his side - a few more inconspicuous meetings with Danzou whispering sweet poison in his ears, a child wouldn't know left from right. And if it were Kakashi's choice to suddenly decide to join Danzou, Danzou knew Minato wouldn't be able to deny the boy anything he truly wanted. It was sly and manipulative - everything Kakashi expected from Danzou.

Kakashi was an unbelievable prodigy that exceeded Danzou's expectations. He was a wildcard Danzou didn't want loose without control. He was always going to be a potential danger as long as there was a chance of him falling into the enemies' clutches and undergoing potential re-conditioning. Kakashi could understand why Danzou was so hell-bent on obtaining his person, but that didn't mean he like the man and his underhanded methods any more than he did.

Kakashi couldn't disagree that Danzou always had the village's best interest in mind, but that best interest of his didn't extend out towards the villagers, the shinobi, the _people._  Danzou wanted Konoha, the village, to prosper - regardless of what happened to the people in it, and that ideology did not bond well with Kakashi.

_Those who abandoned their friends are worse than trash._

The masked boy rubbed his temple, leaning against the tree of the forest he was training in. The memories of his dispersed shadow clone quickly sorted in his mind, and in less than a second, he was off, speeding close enough back home that he could quickly  _shunshin_  in. He needed to catch the agent before he escaped and reported back to Danzou. Kakashi cursed himself for leaving a shadow clone, but then again, he never expected to be attacked in the safety of his own home. Kakashi was thankful he'd only split into one clone, giving the clone enough chakra to withstand the fall he'd experience. Otherwise, Kakashi would've never been able to seen the Root mask before he popped. He would've been  _even_  happier if the clone didn't pop, and his clone  _had_  tried his best not to exert himself too hard for that exact reason, but it seemed like it was not to be.

With a few quick handseals, Kakashi looked like his older Copy-cat self once more, and he desperately doubled his pace – hopefully this would be over before Minato came back.

**x**

Minato was tired. He'd spent the day training and arguing amongst fellow jounin about the best approach to capturing the Copy-cat ninja who was too mysterious for his own good. It was an irritating how the man always seemed able to slip through their fingers the moment anyone got too close. Short of that first meeting Minato had with him, the Copy-cat had persistently been nothing more than a clone – a  _shadow_  clone of all things. Well, not always, Minato admitted. Sometimes the man was a lightning clone, other times a water clone – it was problematic trying to place an origin for this man; it was astonishing, the vast types of clones this Copy-cat knew.

The only conclusion that had been made to this point was that this unknown ninja was a traveler, moving around the various countries to steal (somehow) their techniques (and also saving lives of the random shinobi he encounters along the way?). At least that theory accounted for the Copy-cat's name, if nothing else.

With a frustrating meeting like that cutting his usual training short, Minato had worked twice as hard to make up for it post-meeting. By the time he called it a day, it was earlier than usual, but the blond was exhausted to say the least.

As exhausted as he was, however, Minato was alert enough to note something off as he neared his little complex building. Admittedly, it was more of a cold tug in Minato's chest that sprung up suddenly, than anything concrete, that had drawn him into a sense of paranoia, but sometimes a shinobi had to trust his gut feeling - Minato may not have been able to observe anything wrong just quite yet, but he had done enough missions to occasionally realise something amiss through his instincts alone. Adding the fact that Kakashi was home and might possibly be in the middle of this trouble was enough for Minato to play on his doubt.

Minato palmed a kunai as he slowly slipped closer to his home. The man quietly undid the lock on the door, turning the knob slowly and carefully as he surveyed the traps he'd laid across his household. They honestly seemed fine, but any shinobi worth their salt could bypass them discreetly if given enough time – any traps designated higher than jounin level were frowned upon for household protection for the common shinobi. After all, should one be suspected of any crime, the Hokage reserved the right to send Anbu without permission into the house, and Anbu level traps to detain them from entry were considered an act of resistance. The village was considered a safe place, swarmed with fellow shinobi, and towering wooden gates to protect its villagers from outsiders - such high level traps shouldn't even be necessary in the first place.

For once in his life, Minato wasn't so certain about that rule. He ran a finger around the wrapped handle of the kunai in his hand, following the grooved overlaps unconsciously, trying to calm his agitated mind.

The interior of his house was dark and unlit - a sight that worried the blond. Minato considered calling out for Kakashi for all of second, until paranoia shoved the idea away. Further in, Minato could faintly hear muffled sounds of what sounded like Kakashi's voice. Minato treaded carefully, inching across the bare living room towards Kakashi's closed door.

And then Kakash's chakra disappeared with a muffled sentence cut short.

Minato's heart leaped, landing in a cold thud against the bottom of his stomach, spreading icy prickling stings to the tips of his fingers. In less than a second, the man tore through the last few steps and slammed the bedroom door open.

There was no seven-year-old glancing upwards through long silver lashes, surprised of his own ignorance to Minato's arrival home. There was no sweet " _welcome home"_  in that childish voice Minato had grown accustomed to hearing at the end of a long day. There was no stretching smile that Minato had learned to seek out beneath navy blue masks, or the beaming grin that Kakashi occasionally sent up to him which Minato would store warmly in his heart. The room seemed colder somehow, and utterly lacking. And it was a mess; the room was a disaster, chairs and bed sheets tumbled and strew out of place like a struggle had occurred – a struggle he'd missed.

In the center of this battle field was not Kakashi, but a stranger. Cerulean eyes traced the outline of the man clad with a ceramic mask – an Anbu, standing stoic and ridged as if working through several shocks of his own. The blond couldn't help himself hesitating for a mere second, wondering why a member of Konoha's Black Ops was in his home, before steadying himself.

"What are you doing uninvited in my home?" Minato said in a deceptively calm voice. His sharp cerulean eyes flickered to and fro, trying to locate his adopted son. "Where is Kakashi?" Minato asked, eyes narrowing. There was no answer, and nor did the Anbu deny he had a part with the seven-year-old's disappearance.

There was a subtle shift in weight as the Anbu regarded him. "You are not authorised to know such things," the Anbu answered lowly.

"This is my home, and Kakashi is my son," Minato hissed, voice cutting sharply through the air between them. "You have no reason nor right to take him." Suspicion crept slowly through the blond. If Kakashi was in enough trouble for the Hokage to dispatch an Anbu to fix it, he would've order him to tell Minato because Sarutobi knew just how much Minato worried about ever little thing that had to do with the boy. Minato bent his knees, posture curling ever so slightly forwards, and fingers discreetly readjusting his hold.

"It is of no concern to you," the Anbu merely said, "I am under orders not to engage contact with you." The masked man shifted on his left leg, as though ready to disappear. Dread filled Minato in fear of losing the only link to Kakashi's disappearance. Minato launched a three-pronged kunai at the other man. Within the span of a breath, Minato had the Anbu (although Minato was sorely suspecting he wasn't really one) in his hold, arms pinned into a locking hold on his back.

With a surprising flexibility that must have come from training from since an early age, the Anbu twisted, dislodging his arm and throwing the blond backwards. "You are interfering with my objective." The voice was bland and toneless, completely disregarding what Minato had done.

"Good," Minato said sharply as his chakra cloaked the room in burning fury. Because if Kakashi was the objective, Minato would interfere all he needed to and then some to make sure the seven-year-old was safely back in his arms. "What did you do with Kakashi?" the blond snarled, already rushing in for a second round. In the back of his mind, Minato knew if push came to shove, the Anbu would likely overpower him in battle, especially since Minato only just finished a gruesome day of training a little bit earlier, but that didn't mean he would let the man go without trying.

The Anbu dodged out of the way, but Minato merely pivoted on his soles, twisting his body back into the correct direction. The loud clang of metal on metal echoed through the empty complex.

Minato flipped the kunai in his other hand to fix the hold for an attack at this closer range. The Anbu, however, saw through it, twisting his torso to avoid it and using the momentum to kick his leg into Minato's stomach. The blond parried it with his arm, giving a kick of his own in response.

There was a low oomph as the Anbu exhaled air.

"I asked you a question," Minato growled out. The Anbu was silent still as he readied himself once more. Minato glared into the ceramic mask that seemed so genuine, yet  _had_  to be false considering the man's actions. How did he get into Konoha in the first place, and why was he targeting Kakashi? "Who are you?"

"The boy was only to be temporarily borrowed. Had he not resisted, he would have been returned before you missed him."

There was so many things Minato could say to that Anbu, but he froze at the sudden realisation of the tense he used. " _'Was'?"_ Kakashi  _was_  only to be temporarily borrowed? Did that mean they reconsidered returning Kakashi?

The chakra in the air pulled in suddenly, a tell-tale sign the Anbu was ready to perform a jutsu – a retreat if Minato was reading things correctly. The blond rushed forwards while throwing  _shiruken_  in succession to distract the Anbu's concentration and to foil the  _shunshin._

It worked for a while, until a displacement of air behind Minato caught the blond's attention.  _Back-up?_  Minato swiveled around, only to see the oh-so-familiar sight of the blood red scarf he'd been chasing after lately. "You-" the blond began heatedly.

"Stop him!" the Copy-cat cried, staring past him towards the Anbu. The scarfed man was leaned forwards like he want to charge up to the Anbu himself, but didn't think it was a good idea to rush past Minato. Which was a good decision, Minato thought to himself while the other half of his mind focused on turning back again and trying to restrain the Anbu, because if the Copy-cat even moved a muscle, he wouldn't have spared the man a single moment's hesitation to retaliate against  _him_  instead.

But no matter how quickly Minato turned, the Anbu had enough time to leap backwards and  _shunshin_  away before the blond even got close.

Minato cursed inwardly, an urge to punch angrily at the ground filling his body, but he supressed it, eyes pining down the Copy-cat instead. "You! You better not be associated with that 'Anbu'," Minato snarled out in his badly concealed fear and anger. Minato didn't know what could scare and enrage him more than an unknown party kidnapping his precious child.

The Copy-cat was hit full blast with Minato's fury, but the scarfed man didn't react, merely dropping down his arms and holding them away from his body to show he wasn't there to attack. "Calm down, Namikaze-san. I'm not. I promise." The man's voice was smooth and soft in an almost dulcet tone, trying to sooth the blond.

Minato was too afraid for Kakashi to care. "Why should I believe you?" he said harshly, a gloved hand angling the kunai in his hand to an attacking stance.

The scarfed ninja was silent for a couple seconds, looking worried for him. "I'm not-" Whatever the Copy-cat had originally planned to say was shoved aside when the man undoubtedly realised Minato didn't care for any excuses. "Kakashi is safe," he said instead.

"Where is he?" Minato hissed out.

"Out of the hands of …  _Root_ ," the Copy-cat responded obediently, nodding towards where the ' _Anbu_ ' had  _shunshined_  away.

The word "root" gave Minato a slight pause in confusion, before the man narrowed his cerulean eyes into a deeper glare. "You are not answering my question;  _where_  is Kakashi."

"I'll get him," the Copy-cat murmured lowly, keeping his eyes on Minato's stance as he took a slow step backwards, "Don't move."

Minato wanted to rush forwards to pin the man down in case he was only saying that in order to escape. Yet, another part of him feared that if he did move, the Copy-cat, no matter how amicable he'd been lately and no matter how many times he'd saved Konoha shinobi, would forget the promise all together and just leave – taking Kakashi with him.

Reluctantly, Minato muttered a sharp, "Fine."

He watched tensely as the Copy-cat ninja slipped out of Kakashi's room, hidden for a second behind solid plastered walls, before walking back in with an unconscious Kakashi held cradled in arms. Unseen by Minato, the Copy-cat ninja had actually dropped his henge in that short second and produced a clone to carry out his real (faking unconsciousness) self.

Walking slowly and carefully towards Minato, the Copy-cat deposited the boy into the blond's arms before stepping backwards without another word.

Minato took a quick glance at Kakashi before letting his eyes flicker upwards towards the other man once more, knowing better than to let the Copy-cat ninja roam unwatched in his house, despite how desperately he just wanted to look down and let Kakashi's peaceful face flush out the fear that had it sharp, vicious claws sunk so deeply into his beating heart. "I won't thank you because for all I know, you were a part of Kakashi's attempted kidnapping. However, I do appreciate you giving him back safely," Minato said in a hard tone. The blond narrowed his eyes when the scarfed man tried to deny any relation with the one he called a  _Root_ operative _._  "Then tell me, what business do you have in Konoha? I don't have to remind you you are trespassing once more, do I?" Minato demanded. He never stood out of his defensive stance despite the load in his arms.

The Copy-cat didn't move, likely trying not to aggravate Minato any more than his mere presence already did. "There are … things that I must take care of here," he finally said.

"Things?" Minato raised an eyebrow.

"Things," the Copy-cat agreed, before popping out of existence.

Minato stared after the shinobi for a second longer before casting the man out of his mind. He would report to the Hokage about this later, but first was Kakashi _._  Minato wrapped his arms tighter around the boy, pressing his head into the crook of Kakashi's small little neck.

His dear, precious,  _safe_ Kakashi.

* * *

 

 _Chapter 48: Safe_  

 

Kakashi was aware of someone, most likely Minato (oh yes it was, Kakashi confirmed, as the information from the dispelled shadow clone organised in his mind), cuddling him, but the boy kept his eyes closed and breathing even.

The man's skin was sickly pale, and his hand was trembling as he nervously ran it through Kakashi's hair in a comforting manner. Comforting who – himself or the little boy in his arms -, Kakashi didn't know.

Kakashi stirred slowly, fluttering his eyelashes open as though he'd just regained consciousness. He let a soft groan slip through his lips.

"Kakashi!" Minato cried immediately, voice coated with strangled fear and other heavily twisting emotions that feed Kakashi's guilt.

Kakashi supposed a normal response should've been " _what happened?"_  or something equally as muddled, but what he'd said instead was an insistent "I'm fine," because Kakashi really couldn't bear watching the man worry himself into a frantic. Were this occurring outside the confines of their home, Minato wouldn't have been showing this weakness of his as strongly as now. Minato knew the importance of compartmentalizing and keeping a professional front in front of his fellow jounins. But as it was, they were home with no one but family in sight, and Minato was never one to hide his true self from the ones he trusted the most. He could easily pretended he wasn't affected by this whole ordeal, but he also didn't want Kakashi not to realise just how much his presence and life mattered to him.

Minato was directing Kakashi into his own room now, arms wrapped gently around the silver-haired boy like he was afraid that tightening any further would dissipate Kakashi into smoke and air; like the Kakashi in his arms was nothing more than an mere illusion and any attempts to truly hold him would break this beautiful dream of his. Kakashi's heart ached at the idea of that, so he'd taken the initiative instead. With strong gripping arms, as strong as his seven-year-old muscles would allow, Kakashi curled against Minato, pulling the man into a tight, suffocating hug.

Kakashi could feel the blond suddenly dropping inelegantly onto the bed, shocking him to lessening his grip in fear he'd harmed his guardian. But the moment he did, Minato's grabbed on to him instead, unwilling to lose the contact. The silver-haired boy lifted his head from where it was pressed into Minato's chest, glancing up into the blond's face for the first time.

Cerulean eyes stared back down at him, shining with so much feeling, all revolving around the single idea of  _Kakashi's real, Kakashi's alive, Kakashi's here, Kakashi's safe_.

"I'm fine, Minato. Stop looking so worried."

The man buried his face into Kakashi's unruly silver locks. "I almost lost you," the man said in a voice sounding so lost and distressed, Kakashi didn't know how to answer. So he didn't. Instead, Kakashi allowed Minato to hold onto him until the small tremors in the blond's arms started to fade away.

It wasn't much later when the Namikaze finally let him go, the sun fully sunken, and the room heavily dimmed in shadows. "Why don't you sleep with me today?" the blond asked, patting the double sized bed he was sitting on.

"I'm not a kid," Kakashi responded immediately. Idly, the boy wondered when was the last time he'd crawled into his own father's bed, letting the man ward off his nightmares and horrors while he slept. Kakashi let his eyes wander before fixing on Minato's ever-pale hands, the only evidence left of his panic his tightly clenched fists.

Had Kakashi been a normal child, the man might have lost him (surely Danzou would have released him sooner or later, but how deeply buried would his poisonous whispers been dug in a child's malleable mind, rooted there forever on?), but Minato didn't know he wasn't normal; or that Kakashi wouldn't have let himself be exploited by the likes of Danzou (or whoever Minato thought was behind this attempted kidnapping). Minato knew Kakashi strong, knew Kakashi trained by himself occasionally, knew Kakashi was something of a prodigy, but like every shinobi, Minato also knew that knowledge and experience were two different things – especially when abruptly thrown in actual combat situations. Children could work efficiently around a dummy, but everything was different once the situation tilted on the scale from 'just training' to 'fighting for his life'.

Kakashi wouldn't have frozen up like scared seven-year-old child, but like everything else, Minato couldn't have known that. All Minato knew was that something  _had_ happened to Kakashi, until he was saved from the one person who both confused and irked Minato the most. All Minato knew was that the Copy-cat had Kakashi, and for all he knew, the man wouldn't have surrendered him back if Minato had not come home at that moment and demanded he do so. Minato couldn't have known anything that truly occurred, and Kakashi had worried the blond more than he could imagine. "But maybe just today," Kakashi finished softly, trying not to say it like it was a mere afterthought.

Minato grinned widely at the silver-haired boy's answer, but the light in his eyes never reached the level of cheeriness his face expressed, still dimmed by lingering fright. "Great. I'll grab an extra blanket."

The man got up towards his closet, leaving Kakashi sat on the bed. The boy's eyes fell on a familiar photograph of the two of them, propped up in a frame on the bedside drawer. It was the same photograph that was in Kakashi's own room, standing at the front of his bed beside Mr. Ukki Junior. Kakashi prodded at the picture, understanding how much he'd meant to Minato– just as much as Minato meant to him, if their reasons for placing the picture by the head of the bed were the same, daily reminding themselves of the people they would never let down. If not more, Kakashi noted to himself in a short afterthought, remembering the bright shining heart that the Namikaze possessed, twice as large as anyone he'd ever met. If anything else, dwelling on this only tied stronger, thicker knots around his conscience-stricken heart.

Kakashi crawled into the double-size bed when Minato came back with an arm-full of blankets, curling up in the tangle of sheets, reminiscent of his ninken. Minato join him not a moment later, but only after he wrapped up the silver-haired boy in the blankets with care.

There was silence in the room as the two of them laid quietly in the soothing company of the other. Minato kept a large warm hand on Kakashi's back, as if continuously confirming to himself that Kakashi was still in front of him. Kakashi almost missed it when, for a second time, the blond whispered out, "I almost lost you." His voice was so light, it drifted out almost like a haunting spirit, unable to be caught and lingering uncomfortably for a lifetime.

But this time Kakashi knew what to say. "You didn't. You won't."

Minato's warm, protecting hand tightened. "If  _he_  hadn't come, I would have! You were against a trained shinobi. An …"  _An Anbu_ , Kakashi knew Minato wanted to say, but the blond couldn't because Anbu were loyal to the Hokage, and the blond didn't want to scare Kakashi with thoughts of betrayal and treason. "And you don't have any training to go against people like them," Minato finished instead.

But Kakashi  _did_ ; except it wasn't something the boy could admit.

"I don't want to lose you, Kakashi. Ever," Minato murmured out, arms once more wrapped in a shielding hold around the silver-haired boy, as though he wished he could pull the boy into that defensive hug forever, and never let any more evils of the world touch even a strand of Kakashi's soft silver hair. "But I'm not always here, and if this happens again while you are all alone…" the blond trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.

"I know," Kakashi said, in place of the protest that his older, trained self wanted make.

Minato started speaking slowly, knowing the end results, but wanting to at least hope there was a chance Kakashi would change his mind. "I know you've declined going to the Academy, but would you consider it once more? I don't want to force you to do something you don't like, but it would calm my heart to know you've learned some jutsu and have some knowledge of the workings of shinobi. I've seen you train, so I know you are strong, but there are things that constant sparring won't teach you."

Kakashi didn't answer.

"Please, Kakashi?" Minato continued pleadingly. "Just one school year? I won't ask you again."

Kakashi allowed a short silence between then before he asked a quiet  _"when?"_

"Starting next term?" the blond asked hopefully.

Kakashi heaved a small sigh, knowing he wouldn't be able to talk his way out of the protective blond's plans. And somewhere in his mind, Kakashi knew he already owed the blond so much for lying to him, and the least he could do was to concede with such a simple wish. So, in the end, with an agreement that lit Minato's eyes brightly in relief, and scorched out the last of the blond's worry that kept him from relaxing into his embrace with Kakashi, Kakashi decided to attend the Academy.


	11. PART 3: 49-53

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brief summary thus far:
> 
> Kakashi time traveled into his five-year-old body, in a time when his father is still alive. He tries to do some good by following his dad out on a mission henged as a black-haired figure with a red scarf ... things don't go as planned, and Kakashi scraps the plan until later. In the end, Sakumo still commits seppuku, and Kakashi contemplate the impossibility to change fate. Kakashi is place under Minato's care, who relocates Kakashi to his own apartment. Kakashi reinitiates the plan with the henged form and saves Minato's team on a mission, leaving Minato with the name 'Copycat'. Danzou is being a creep and tries to take Kakashi away from Minato and almost succeeds, but doesn't. So he changes his approach and tries to kidnap Kakashi with a Root Operative instead, but is foiled by the Copycat, who mentions the word 'Root' to Minato.

 

 _PART THREE_  
_Chapter 49: Reconnection_

 

Whether or not Minato had any experience taking care of children, he certainly had preconceptions of how they would act at the prospect of school. Kakashi though, had a feeling he broke all his presumptions within the first morning - unintentionally, of course.

The morning started out bright and early as Kakashi pulled himself out of bed and made his way from his room. Outside, Minato stood frozen, hand posed above his door to knock. At the sight of him, the mischievous grin on the blond's face quickly turned into a rather boyish pout.

"I wanted to see you whine about sleeping in," Kakashi thought he heard Minato mutter under his breath.

"I always wake up at this time."

"It's a rite of passage," Minato sulked, because apparently all students  _had_ to groan and moan about waking up early.

Kakashi had always been an odd child, even when he hadn't been a literal adult stuffed into a child's body. Between his excitement at becoming a shinobi and his natural talents, he had always looked forward to waking up every day to make the most of the sunlight to train. However, he  _could_ imagine his own Genin team cursing their alarm clocks and attempting to sleep in - especially when he set up deliberately early lessons with them, only to arrive hours later. It was good character building.

Breakfast in the Namikaze Complex was a quiet affair. It was only after Kakashi finished and began packing up for the Academy that he finally decided to acknowledge the burn of Minato's eyes fixed on him. The blond was staring at him silently and so expectantly that Kakashi couldn't help but concede, letting out a sigh and playing along.

"Is this the part where I whine about not wanting to go?" Kakashi asked indulgently.

A grin stretched on the blond's face, bright and childish. "Yup," he said as he immediately leaped from his spot and hurried towards Kakashi, "and this is where I insist you have to go even if I'll miss you, and then offer to come with you on your first day."

"Of course."

Actually, it seemed that Minato just wanted an excuse to escort Kakashi to the Academy, because of some parental thing Kakashi understood… sort of. Minato had always been a better parental figure for him than he ever had been for his three genin. But perhaps he  _did_  rub off on Kakashi a little, even in his past life, because hadn't he gone to congratulate his kids when they made it to the proper Chunin Exam room, even when it wasn't necessary for him to appear?

Minato chattered casually as they made their way to the Academy gates, Minato's voice making up for Kakashi's usual silence. "Play nice with your classmates," the blond continued.

"Yes, Minato," Kakashi replied dutifully.

Around them, children raced onward with loud, shrill shrieks tearing gleefully from their throats as they passed by. A small twitch appeared on Minato's lip, and Kakashi sorely hoped the blond wasn't imagining him acting like them.

Eventually, they made their way into the school, led by Minato down the hallway where Kakashi's new classroom was located. Minato stood with him for a while, waiting for the bustling to slowly dwindled back down to near empty hallways, before the man lowered to a kneel. "I want to hear all about your day when you come home, okay?" Minato requested, staring with an unrelenting expression full of building hope until he finally incited a nod from Kakashi. "And if anyone bullies you, let me know right away. I won't stand for anyone unreasonably hurting you," the blond added gravely.

His voice was calm, but Kakashi could hear the strong promise underneath. Kakashi could only nod again.

Minato was the sort who poured his heart and soul into protecting something he treasured. Konohagakura had felt the whole of his love when the  _Yondaime_  sacrificed his life for his village. Then there was Kushina, who Minato adored more than anyone in the world, and Naruto, who Kakashi knew, would've been the happiest boy alive had Minato been around. The Kakashi of the past, the sullen, moody boy he once was, had been part of the group too. He couldn't fully admire Minato and his over-protectiveness in his last life, finding the man too naïve and optimistic in the vicious world of ninja that they'd lived in. But Kakashi had been wrong; the feeling of love and family was what kept one moving and striving to succeed.

So now, as an experienced man here and now, he could admire it at last, and Kakashi cherished every moment of security Minato's imposing figure provided, despite knowing he was more than able to protect himself. Kakashi wasn't a helpless kid; in fact, he hadn't been one in a long, long time, but the knowledge that Minato had his back was a warm, firm comfort.

"Well, off you go then," Minato urged, in perfect timing as a group of older parents turned the corner and spied them.

With Kakashi's distinctive silver hair and looks so similar to Sakumo, it wouldn't take a lot for others to notice him, and Minato knew that.

It was one thing for Minato to let Kakashi around other children of his age, and another to let him around shinobi old enough to have heard about Sakumo. The little play-date Minato had set up ages ago had shown that not everyone held Kakashi in contempt as a direct result of Sakumo's action – or even held Sakumo's actions in contempt at all – but that didn't mean they were the norm either. Kakashi would've been a fool if he hadn't realise Minato had picked and chosen through families and families to find those perfect kids, with nonjudgmental parents, for him to get to know. Kakashi knew better than anyone how not everyone would be willing to accept Sakumo's apology and move on.

Humans could be vicious, unreasonable creatures when they wanted to be.

"Don't worry about me. See you after school," Kakashi answered Minato, serene. Kakashi already knew he would attract attention. More so this time around, now that Kakashi was no longer the feared prodigy that no one wanted to cross. Kakashi could handle it all with an impassive face and a small aching heart, but it was nowhere as bad as Minato worried it was for the boy.

Minato had already hidden Kakashi away from these venomous words and stares for a long time already. Kakashi was certain Minato knew of the sharp blows his heart took whenever he heard those terrible gossiping tales against the great man Kakashi knew better than anyone else. Minato never forced Kakashi outside to interact with the villagers more than necessary, and definitely never out of his sight, if possible. Kakashi had never really spent much of the past year associating with anyone.

Perhaps that was better for Kakash's healing soul. Because this time, unlike so many years ago, Kakashi didn't have the firm, unyielding barrier of  _Rules and Regulations_ shrouded around himself to hide behind. This time Kakashi already knew he wouldn't delude himself, even if that meant taking the brute force of others' words and glaring gazes without backing down. But most of the cracks in Kakashi's heart had long been paved over with Minato's love and care, and the linger love from the people of his future carried over as well.

And honestly, despite his appearance, he  _was_  a grown man.

Minato needn't worry so much for him.

"I'll tell you about my day when I come home," Kakashi said to Minato with a smile so purposefully tranquil.

Despite Kakash's initial reluctance to attend the Academy, underneath it all, there was a strong pull of anticipation making his fingers itch and tingle as he reached for the sliding doors of his designated classroom. Already he could spot Asuma, lounging on his seat like he owned the place. Hayate was there too, looked poorly as ever. A small smile ghosted over his lips at the sight of the boy, before moving on to Genma who also didn't look like he changed any bit over the next decade or so. The moment Kakashi's eyes rested on Rin, sitting in the back row giggling animatedly with girls her own age, he ripped his eyes away from her. Whatever amusement he felt quickly drained away, leaving a sickly twist deep in the boy's chest.

Kakashi forced his thoughts away from Rin, clean, dry hands involuntarily scrubbing his thighs to rid of the unseen blood. Kakashi pressed his eyes shut, but that only helped pull up her face once more – no longer laughing, but pale and red. He'd managed to keep the image away for so long, but the clarity of her face in the close proximity of the classroom cause it all to come crumbling back.

Kakashi took a deep breath, whipping his head away for a distraction. Obito. Where was Obito? He cast his mind to that menial task instead.

The distraction that would've likely taken no more than one minute, quickly filled a couple more, as Kakashi's search bore no results. Obito was not present in that little classroom of his. Kakashi snagged a free seat for himself, lip pursed in thought. There was a chance that Obito had perhaps been assigned to a different class, and the thought brought on a feeling of relief, hidden behind a pang of disappointment he refused to acknowledge.

Kakashi honestly  _had_  been looking forward to meeting Obito face-to-face, instead of spying on him by the Uchiha Compound, but he also wary of his own reaction. Seeing Rin so close, even when he had been expecting her there, had already broken his calm, pain nipping at every hint of exposed edges Kakashi hadn't managed to fully heal over. Perhaps it was for the better Obito stayed away?

Kakashi lowered his head into his arms as he crossed them on top of the wooden desk. Once more, he was aware of the overwhelming voices from the kids surrounding him. He let the inaudible conversations surround his senses, keeping away the bitter thoughts of days gone by.

This was going to be a tedious year, Kakashi thought as he closed his eyes; he never even liked kids in the first place.

Around Kakashi, the class was slowly beginning to quiet down.

"Good morning," a dull voice spoke up from the front. "Call me Nimori-sensei. I will be your teacher for this year." The man, an old chuunin with peppering hair, Kakashi noted as he peeked a quick glance at him, was serenading an awing tale for the new Academy students. The kids, both nervous and excited, drank up his words. "I know today is an excitable day for all of you. I will raise you all to be exceptional ninjas. You will learn the subtle arts of ninjutsu, and taiju –"

_SLAM!_

The doorframe shook as the door was slammed to the side. A raven-haired boy leaned heavily on it, struggling for his breath. "Did I make it on time?" a huffing voice called out, obliviously interrupting the sermon the teacher was spinning.

Despite Kakashi's deceptively stoic expression, his heart involuntarily skipped a few beats.

"You are?" Nimori asked.

The boy adjusted orange goggles, an uncracked and cleaner version of the ones Kakashi had sequestered in his old apartment so far away in the future.

Seeing Obito was so different from spying at him from between the cracks of criss-crossing branches that sheltered Kakashi against the sights of Uchiha guards. The image of the boy was so clear and bright. It was like Kakashi was  _finally_  seeing Obito – Obito the boy who was here and now, instead of the half-forgotten image that curled in Kakashi's dark mind, with unfocused edges filled in by the ghost of a half-broken body under an unforgiving boulder superimposed on top of him.

The smallest of details, unable to be spied so far away behind foliage, that Kakashi once had to fill in with those distant memories, were now a complete sight granted for Kakashi's eyes at long last.

Obito looked so much younger than expect, Kakashi noted with a startled realisation. No longer was he the hard-headed preteen who took every occasion to insult Kakashi, nor the one bearing the haunted smile Kakashi remembered forever after as the last image he would ever have of his best friend.

Every line and crack on Obito's face etched into Kakashi's mind, replacing the tormented face that featured in his nightmares.

There was so much innocence in this Obito – innocence that reminded him too much of his precious students oh-so long ago, when they'd first met. But with a life in the shinobi ranks, that innocence faded fast with their first real mission, and first kill. It wasn't anything Kakashi could protect his precious ones from, but at the very least he could help them through it by being a warm, comforting shoulder to rely on.

In the front of the classroom, the raven-haired boy puffed out his chest proudly, jabbing a thumb into it. "Uchiha Obito, greatest ninja ever!"

The declaration brought a small smile onto Kakashi's face, hidden underneath his ever-present mask. Greatest ninja ever? Kakashi didn't doubt that. Kakashi constantly taught Obito's philosophy, Obito's legacy, to his students, repeating his words like gospel. And in return, his students carried on Obito's will. Obito's  _nindo_  was changing the world. If that didn't make Obito great, Kakashi didn't know what did.

In front of the class, Nimori-sensei sighed at the boy's exuberant tones, and shook his head. "Never mind. Today's just the first day. Be on time tomorrow, understood?"

Obito nodded seriously, but Kakashi only chuckled lowly under his breath at the impossibility of his request. Obito, on time? Never. Not that Kakashi wished for that to change. The only time Obito wasn't late was when he pushed Kakashi out of the way from that falling boulder … and look where that lead Obito.

No, he couldn't dwell on things like that.

Kakashi turned to watch the Uchiha bounding up the stairs, two at a time. Obito was gravitating towards Kakashi, and before the masked boy knew it, Obito was right up beside him, pulling out a chair.

Kakashi tried not to smile too familiarly at the boy, but he wondered if it hadn't worked for Obito to be drawn so quickly to him.

The raven-haired boy was already jumping into his seat, his face grinning happily as ever. "Nice mask, can I see your face?" he asked immediately before Kakashi could get out a word out.

 _Ahh, it was the mask._ Of course. "No," Kakashi said simply.

"Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

And so began a beautiful friendship.

"…  _No."_ (Kakashi wondered if he could steal Obito's phrase to tell the Uchiha that he had something in his eyes … or maybe it would be better if he just looked away and try not to show the glistening around the rims).

 

* * *

 

_Chapter 50: Shadows_

 

It was surprisingly easy slipping back into old habits. Kakashi had tried to act more like the bright-eyed child he was expected to be, to mimic his classmates' enthusiasm - if even just a fraction of it -, but that futile endeavour lasted not even the span of a week.  _Any_ Jounin would find themselves lulled into boredom if asked to retake the Academy curriculum – never mind one who'd soared through their classes the first time around, when he'd been no older than five.

It was no surprise Kakashi quickly lost interest.

The Academy was torture no man should suffer.

He felt like the center of a storm, as chaos, in the form of children, ensued around him.  _Personal space_ seemed to be a foreign concept, because they crowded like puppies - which would've been cute, because Kakashi had a love for canines, except they yapped just as loudly but didn't know basic commands like  _sit_  or  _be quiet_.

Kakashi hoped Minato realised just how much he loved him to endure this misery for the blond.

Kakashi had taken to burying his head in his arms in order to try and get some peace and quiet, because nothing else seemed to stop those snort-nosed brats from persistently talking to him otherwise. Obito, unfortunately (fortunately?) seemed to be the sole exception. Ever since he'd agreed to be Obito's friend, that boy refused to get the hint. Obito was exactly as Kakashi remembered him to be, with no sense of danger, constantly prodded the sleeping dragon that was Kakashi. The Uchiha was lucky Kakashi was fond of him.

"Obito, go bother someone else," Kakashi uttered from under his arms, voice slurring ever so slightly. The moment he'd realised he had to endure an entire school term under these conditions, he already had half the mind to confront the chunin teacher and demand his graduation. Yet somehow, no matter how annoying the kids and Obito could be, he found himself unable to just up and lose the budding friendship they were slowly but surely building.

Although, knowing Obito, the fact that Kakashi was nice (nice enough) to him meant they were besties already. Still, it was healing to have the chance to actually connect with Obito Uchiha without the unnecessary need of the Uchiha's death to tie the bonds of their inevitable friendship together.

"Aww, but you're more fun to be around," Obito informed him.

"Because I insult you?" Kakashi said incredulously, because he never bothered too much with censoring his remarks, and overtime Obito had clearly become immune to him. It likely helped that Kakashi, this time, knew to avoid certain landmines.

"You're just constantly cranky," Obito replied flippantly. "My little nieces and nephews are like that too when they don't get enough sleep."

He was being compared to infants. Obito, of course, looked completely clueless to the insult he uttered out. Sometimes Kakashi wondered how many of their old arguments way back when, were due to Obito's careless mouth.

Kakashi supposed there were moments of true irritation he felt at the other boy (forgetting the fact that he decades older, this was Obito he was talking about, of course he was infuriating), but then again, after being stuck with  _Naruto_  of all people, Kakashi had more than enough practice taking it in stride. Naruto was the epitome of obnoxious when the kid first started out, and Obito was only a close second on that list.

That being said, expectedly, in less than a week, Obito Uchiha quickly became the bane of their sensei's existence. He was loud, stubborn, and mischievous – all the qualities no teacher could bear without prematurely growing white hair. Once upon a time, Kakashi would have found it below him to be amused by someone like Obito. Unsurprisingly, Kakashi had no qualms this time around; he had a thing for silly excuses nowadays.

Obito raced towards where Kakashi was lounging, in loud thundering steps, trying to restrain himself from outwardly skipping. If it weren't such a  _childish_  thing to do, he'd do it in a heartbeat, because there was nothing he liked better than hanging out with his best friend.

Kakashi was under the shade of a solitary comer in the Academy courtyard, away from where the rest of the students were playing. His shoulder were hunched, hands in pockets, body weight entirely on the wall behind him, looking a breath away from falling asleep standing up. It was a common sight, and one that Nimori-sensei was prone to reprimanding Kakashi for. Apparently, Kakashi wouldn't have what it took to stay alert long enough to detect enemy-nin, if he persisted with such bad habits.

Kakashi only ever acknowledged Nimori's words with unintelligible hums from the back of his throat, or lazy stares that prolonged into awkward silences, and then ultimately a lethargic request for him to repeat his comment – multiple times.

Obito swore Nimori-sensei was likely to tear his hair out in frustration one of these days.

"Ka-ka-shi!" Obito sang happily when the raven-haired boy finally reached his friend.

The younger boy's grey-blue eyes softened at his appearance, an action that hadn't taken Obito long to notice only occurred with selected people, most notably his guardian Minato. The moment the Uchiha realised  _he_ was also a target to that endearing expression, his heart had overflowed and threatened to permanently stitch a wide grin on his face. It made Obito feel special, especially when the norm usually consisted of scornful glares from his family at the Uchiha Compound. It was no surprise Obito found himself going over to the Namikaze-Hatake Complex with an increasing tendency over the months. It was his home away from home – even if he got an earful from his relatives every day for spending his free time with 'the  _Hatake_ of all people'.

There'd been a story there about a Sakumo Hatake, which Obito hadn't bothered too much remembering, because knowing his family, the information was biased. And also, what did a Sakumo have anything to do with his friendship with  _Kakashi?_

"Hmm?" Kakashi hummed, greeting Obito with a curt nod.

Obito's lips were stretched wide and bright, arms waving wildly. "Did you see me at taijutsu practice today? I so totally ruled! I dodged Endou's attack without breaking a sweat," the boy cheered, his grandeur actions easily making up for Kakashi's usual lack of.

Kakashi looked away to hide a grin. "I believe you tripped."

"It was a tactical trip," Obito corrected.

"You fell on your face."

"So that he couldn't hit my face!"

"You didn't move for a minute afterwards."

"It hurt," Obito whined, before glowing as he received a chuckle from the other boy. "Yes! I made you laugh!" Obito let the smile on his face pull into something more natural and golden, elated at Kakashi's amusement. Playing pranks to get cheap laughs were one thing, but making his best friend happy was something that surpassed even the greatest trick he could pull on his fellow classmates.

Obito pumped his fist in the air. "Alright! Today is going to be a wonderful day!" the boy cheered, "The sun is shining and everyone is happy!" because apparently, Kakashi counted as ' _everyone'._

 

Meanwhile, though the day seemed so bright and cheerful to some, as like the two boys by the Academy courtyard, this atmosphere was only one side of the coin. After all, beneath all things white and pure, still inevitably lurks an unyielding shadow, forever present. And such was the case, for not too far away, the flavour of dark suspicion clung onto the mission an Anbu had been assigned to only seconds ago, sent out by the Hokage.

When Minato first came to him with the word ' _Root'_  hissing off his lips, it sparked an immediate notion to be considered. His suspicions were doubly confirmed after a bit of questioning revealed Danzou's clandestine meeting with Minato, and the nature of that conversation.

Hiruzen was hailed as  _The Professor_  by his peers for a reason - he had a brilliant mind unparalleled by many, and his age only served to expand that wisdom. But then again, he hadn't needed to be any bit scholarly to deduce the murky scheme that Danzou seemed entangled with. Why else would his old friend talk to Minato about adopting Kakashi into his family of orphans, suggesting the matter be kept between the two of them? Were it any other child, such a request could easily be overlooked, because Hiruzen's consent on adoptions was not strictly necessary. However Kakashi was a unique case because he held talent in the ninja arts that soared above those his age, yet he was alone and broken to the mercy of the world.

In such a circumstance, Danzou's insistence couldn't be disregarded, because the Elder knew better than that.

Hiruzen had an inkling his orphaned family wasn't something he approve of, and with the name ' _Root'_ spoken so soon after, it drew a conclusion he couldn't turn a blind eye to.

The subdivision of Root had once-upon-a-time been under Danzou's control, until Hiruzen had gotten hints of untoward methods they may or may not have been using. With its uncertainty, and an internal audit that revealed little loss with the disbandment of the unsettling subdivision, Hiruzen had it promptly dismantle, letting its agents part or merge within the main Anbu branch.

Danzou had been livid at the time, waxing intricate arguments, worded so beautifully like interpretive poetry in an attempt to halt the disbandment. In the end, Danzou stepped down when Hiruzen refused to retract his order, finally conceding to his wishes.

Hiruzen had thought nothing about it at the time – he'd know Danzou's rage, but he'd only expected his old friend to simmer in the anger, sulkily ignoring him before finally realising nothing could be done and truly accepting that fact.

What he hadn't expected was Danzou to have defied him all these years, lying barefacedly through his teeth every time they met. He'd thought their years of friendship meant more to him than that.

Of course, such conjectures relied on the fact that these  _weren't_  deliberately whispered suggestion, placed for the sole purpose of incriminating Danzou. Words from the lips of the Copycat was not ones to be trusted implicitly, especially since he was the first to bring up the term ' _Root'_ , as though he knew the full impact that unassuming word would bring.

The cycle of Anbu Hiruzen dispatched over the course of the month to loosely keep an eye on Danzou all reported nothing of consequence. There were a few who could not help to mention the unease nudge of their instincts in the presence of the Elder - though reported in confidence and unofficially, of course – but nothing more concrete than that. Yet, while it couldn't be taken as proof of any dastardly deeds, but it did plague constantly in his heart, never allowing Hiruzen to fully replenish the faith he'd once had for his old friend.

Hiruzen knew he wouldn't have any peace of mind until he was truly convinced of the Elder's innocence (or guilt, as it might be). And if Danzou truly  _was_  involved … Hiruzen he couldn't overlook it as Hokage, not if his old friend's loyalty had truly rotted into a toxic seed, fermenting under the foundation of their beautiful Konohagakure.

"I want you to find and report to me every single action Danzou makes in this village, no matter how mundane. I want to know who he talks to, where he spends his time. Do not miss a thing, understood, Cat?" the Hokage had said to his Anbu with the read swirling whiskers of a Cat. There was guilt in his heart, but never in his tone, because the Hokage must consider all possibilities, even if it meant doubting his good friend. "Do not let yourself be seen, for I will not claim any involvement in this mission. The Hokage must never be seen to openly suspect anything of his councilmen or honourable elders without solid proof."

He really didn't need more worrying issues cropping up in Konoha – kids had been going missing, and now this. Hiruzen just hoped they weren't connected.

"Understood."

 

* * *

_Chapter 51: Approval_

 

To sum it up in a single sentence: life rolling calmly by.

Perhaps not  _too_  calm, given the secret second-life Kakashi led, but each day kept to familiar routines. In between attending the Academy and hours upon hours of Obito, Kakashi's second life fulfilled it's obligations dutifully in the background. Regular shadow clones were dispatched in the mornings while the main body attended class. The tasks were never strenuous - mostly orders to watch over shinobi on missions or keep an eye out on the stirrings of the ongoing war. It would do its thing until it eventually popped on its own, may it be from chakra exhaustion or fulfilled assigment.

Back in Konoha, however, life as Kakashi Hatake, the seven-year-old,  _was_  calm – or at least as calm as it could be with the presence of an energetic Uchiha in his near vicinity.

Much like past months, the moment Nimori-sensei finally dismissed his class for the day, Obito shot out from his seat and leap straight into Kakashi's personal space. "Ne, can I come over, Kakashi? Let's have fun before you go all grumpy!" he declared breezily, against all idea of proper etiquette.

Kakashi was more concerned about his logic. "Excuse me?"

"You know, that frown-y look on your face needs to go. Smile more!" Obito said. "So, can I come over?"

Kakashi sighed. He didn't know what the correlation between smiling more and coming over to his house was, but nevertheless, he tilted his head an inch as if contemplating the question. "I'll have to ask Minato first," he finally said, unable to deny the other boy anything. Because Kakashi had long realised staying out to play had always only been  _one_ objective of Obito's – rather, he just really didn't want to go home until there was no other choice. Kakashi had interacted enough with the Uchiha Clan (up until the massacre) to know what an uptight bunch they were, and it was obvious Obito, the black sheep of the family, was looked down upon by most, if not all, of the prestigious members who valued their clan's continual reputation.

Obito cheered. "Alright! Let's go!" the boy cried, hands clamped over Kakashi's arm. And then he proceeded to drag Kakashi all the way home.

This was an invasion of his personal space that Kakashi wouldn't have allowed the first time around. If Kakashi had still be that stoic, scornful child of the past, Obito would've been slammed down on his back by now, kunai by Obito's throat, and words of hate spat through his lips every breath. And that was just ridiculous because Obito clearly meant Kakashi no harm, other than, perhaps, drowning Kakashi in a flood of eager friendliness.

…and honestly, Kakashi didn't think he could call Obito annoying anymore, because somewhere along the lines he'd gotten used to it, much like his immunity to Naruto's blinding orange jacket.

"Maaa, slow down."

Obito grinned at him. "Jeeze, if you were any lazier, you wouldn't move at all. And then I could replace you with a mask," the boy added thoughtfully.

Kakashi scoffed before a fond thought tugged at the corners of his lips. "You mean you could replace me with  _two_  masks."

Obito paused mid-pull. "You don't!" he gasped. "Why are you wearing two masks? Doesn't it get hot under all that?!"

"Yes," Kakashi lied. "But how else am I going to evade nosy kids from trying to remove it?" he asked pointedly. The silver-haired boy rolled his eyes at the pouting look Obito sent at him. "Yes that includes you." And it really did. Obito wasn't as bad as that one day so long ago, when his genin decided to spend an entire afternoon plotting to sneak a peek underneath, but the Uchiha had his moments.

"You can trust me! I won't make fun of your buck teeth," Obito promised.

"Buck teeth?" Kakashi felt his lips twitch, remembering the guesses Naruto threw out to entice Sasuke to join into the cause (and just because they didn't know he was there didn't mean he wasn't). "Don't you mean my thick, blimp lips, or disproportional mouth?"

"Really?!" Obito gasped, "I'm so sorry for making fun of you! I didn't know you looked ugly under your mask!"

Sometimes Kakashi couldn't tell if the boy was being honest or simply mocking him.

 

Minato freed the living room in the Namikaze Complex for the two to work in. He moved his own scrolls into the kitchen, half-heartedly studying his own work as he observed the dynamics of the two boys.

Kakashi and Obito's relationship was an odd one, in Minato's opinion. Where Kakashi was stoic, quiet, and controlled, Obito was energetic, loud, and brash. If anything, the two kids were absolute opposites of each other, and it begged the question of how those two managed to get along so well.

There was a soft, pleased glow around Kakashi when Obito was around. The seven-year-old seemed unusually attached to the Uchiha, for someone who normally kept to himself. Minato supposed, perhaps, Kakashi saw himself in the boy. Kakashi was labeled with so many titles and preconceptions - everything from the White Fang's son, to the disgraceful Hatake. Yet, despite this, Kakashi did not let the words tie down his mind and limbs, breaking free to do whatever he pleased. Obito was similarly labeled, even though a stuffy, supercilious member of the Uchiha Clan was clearly everything Obito purposefully strove away from.

This friendship was good for the two of them.

They worked through half-an-hour's worth of homework time before Obito's dwindling attention span finally snapped and he broke the silence in the apartment unit.

"I'm so bored!" Obito groaned out, flopping onto the ground with his arm draped over his eyes.

Kakashi leaned across the small  _chabudai_  table their textbooks and worksheets occupied, staring at the other's written answers. "Your page is blank."

"I was reading," the boy whined prodding the thick textbook with his toe in his prone position. He jumped up a second later. "I need a break," Obito declared, suddenly sounding so much more energetic than seconds ago.

Kakashi waved him off with a sigh.

Obito pouted. "What kind of host are you, Kakashi? You never even offered me water." He made his way into the kitchen where Minato sat.

To his entrance, Minato looked up, rearranging the piles of scrolls around him. "Would you like a cup?" Minato asked, making to stand up. He supposed Kakashi never had friends over, and the boy tended to lack social skills.

"Nah," Obito shrugged, "He was nagging at me so I nagged back. I can get it myself," he said with a grin.

"I can hear you," Kakashi muttered from the other room.

Minato let out a chuckle as Obito bounded over to him. "So, what're you working on?" He stared uncomprehendingly at the mass of scrawls weaving in and out of each other like some sort of ancient language complied into a form of art.

"I'm trying to tie two different seals together."

Obito blinked cluelessly. "Can't you just put it on top of each other?" he wondered.

Minato shook his head indulgently. "It's more difficult than it sounds to draw them together and keep them stabilised. Especially two seals with fundamentally different bases."

"Huh," Obito said, trying and failing to sound enlightened.

Perspective as ever, Minato waved the boy off with a smile. "You just focus on your homework."

Obito scowled at the reminder of the wretched thing. "Ugh," he muttered to himself, before slipping back towards the cupboards of the kitchen. He randomly threw a few doors open, presumably trying to find the cups, before he was sidetracked. "Whoa Kakashi, Minato is  _awesome_!"

Minato looked up from his scrolls in amusement. "Why thank you," he said casually, when the raven-haired boy turned to grin at him. "May I ask why I'm so awesome?"

"What did you find now?" Kakashi deadpanned.

There was rustling in the kitchen in lieu of an answer. Finally, the Uchiha leaped towards Kakashi, his arms spilling in bags of goods. "Look at all this candy stocked in the cupboards. It's heaven."

Kakashi stifled a chuckle, recalling Minato's reasons for buying the bulk in the first place. Had it really been nearly a year since then? "They're all expired, most likely," Kakashi pointed out before Obito could start stuffing his mouth.

"So what? Candy is  _timeless_!"

"Unfortunately, your homework is not," Kakashi said pointedly, quickly pulling the boy back on topic before he forgot.

"Stop reminding me!"

It was a little later that Kakashi finally managed to get the other boy settled in and grab his homework out again, snacks littered around them (around Obito, really). Obito refused to leave until they finished their homework together. Or rather, Kakashi finished it in a second, and spent the next hours watching Obito stare blankly at his own page, doodling.

"That's still not homework," Kakashi tsked as the Uchiha let out a moan in frustration before he rolled away. "Obito, you've covered the whole table with garbage."

Obito gave another groaned from where he'd flung himself on the ground. Words were swirling around the page, trying to give him a headache, and he wanted to get away from it all. "Throw it away for me," the boy whined.

"Don't be lazy," Kakashi said promptly. Minato didn't quite hid a pointed cough at the boy's chide. Kakashi purposefully avoided acknowledgement of it because, though Minato didn't realise, there was a difference between pretending to be lazy and actually being so.

"Come on, Kakashi. My brain is melting from the homework. You don't want a brain-dead friend, do you?" Obito whined pitifully.

"Less maintenance."

"Kakashi!"

It was banter like this that Minato knew he didn't regret sending Kakashi to the Academy. Truthfully, Minato worried every day the kid was at school. Minato knew the kid's solitary behaviour, his dry humor, his odd quirks, and stoic personality. Even someone as inexperienced as Minato could see Kakashi was different from the other children his age. He worried if the seven-year-old wouldn't be able to fit in, wouldn't be able to experience a proper childhood before all the responsibilities that came with being an adult inevitably fell on Kakashi's shoulders.

Watching Kakashi and Obito banter with each other calmed Minato's heart and he knew he'd made the right choice. They were good for each other, those two. Minato had never seen Kakashi get along so quickly with someone new, especially not a kid his age (Minato recalled the play-date he'd set up a year ago, and the way Kakashi had stood off to the side watching the proceedings instead of mingling as all the other children had done).

There was just something about Obito. Obito seemed to bring out the best of Kakashi – like they'd been brothers before they'd ever met.

Minato completely approved of their friendship.

 

* * *

 

_Chapter 52: Best Friend_

 

It was Obito's fault Kakashi was being shoved head-first into a gaggle of kids, while the Uchiha stood back and hoped for the best. Kakashi supposed he might have also been slightly at fault, bringing up the topic, even if he had been merely joking at the time. But Obito, the bull-headed idiot that he was, refused to let go once the idea sparked in his mind.

The whole issue actually started innocently like this:

Obito took it upon himself to invite himself over to the Namikaze Complex to finish up his homework with Kakashi once more. Minato had taken up the living room with his work this time, so he'd suggested the two to relocate in Kakashi's room instead. Reluctantly, Kakashi had lead Obito the way.

The moment his door swung open, any awkwardness Obito felt about intruding dissipated from his mind.

"Cool!" Obito slipped into Kakashi's room, grabbing the dark cushion he spied in the corner of the room. He fluffed it up with a few pats, looking ready to melt down onto it and sleep away the rest of the day - anything to avoid doing homework, of course.

"Pakkun will bite you if you take his cushion," Kakashi diverted immediately, discreetly nudging the cushion back into place when Obito was distracted.

"Pakkun?"

"My ninken," Kakashi said. "He's my pug," he added when Obito only continued to stare blankly at him.

Obito glanced over, an incredulous shine in his eyes. "Dude, really? You named your dog Pakkun?" he said slowly, disbelievingly, "you suck at naming things."

Kakashi arched an eyebrow. "What?" he said. There was nothing wrong with Pakkun's name. Pakkun liked it, didn't he?

"Pakkun?" Obito repeated, "It's like you didn't know what to call your pug, and ended with Pakkun because you mangled saying Pug-kun." Obito leaned backwards. "And  _that_!" he continued sharply, hand snapping to point at an innocuous little plant by the windowsill. It was now sitting beside and additional photo of Obito and Kakashi that Minato had taken not too long ago. Even so, the messy name scrawled on the ceramic pot was clear as day. "Mr. Ukki Junior?" Obito added skeptically.

Frowning on Pakkun's name was one thing, but on Junior as well? "What's wrong with Mr. Ukki Junior?"

"Where to start!" Obito moaned into his hands to show the severity of the problem. "Why does your plant get a title? How do you even know it's a he? And why's he a Junior? Why are you giving a plant a name that's even bigger than it is?" The boy paused theatrically, "No, wait, why are you even giving a plant a name in the first place?"

Kakashi weighted his possibilities; he  _could_  tell Obito if he really wanted to know (a modified answer, but an answer all the same), but that also seemed like too much work. "I need more friends," Kakashi lied instead.

Obito leaped to his feet. "I'm your friend!" he cried. "I'm going to introduce you to everyone I know!"

On second thought, maybe the long answer would have been better. "Please don't."

But who was Obito if not stubborn and unyielding. Kakashi's endless pleads were disregarded because Obito was certain everyone would love the boy.

And so, here he was.

Though Kakashi considered himself different from the stoic, obstinate puppet of a boy he'd used to be, that didn't mean he was suddenly a whole new person. Fundamentally, Kakashi had always been aloof and unsociable. He'd taken to publically reading porn to scare away those liable to hop down in front of him like chummy friends and chat idly about the weather, or something equally mundane. Gai had been an exception he had yet to find a way to rid of (and alright, fine, maybe he did value Gai's company every now and then).

Besides, kids were noisy and loud, if Obito and Naruto were anything to go by.

Either way, Obito resolutely ignored Kakashi's every refusal and then proceeded to drag him out after school to a group of children gathered in a loose circle – one of the several cliques that littered around the courtyard.

Kakashi never cared much for these groups – partly because the segregation could promote discord among students, partly because he'd never fit in any when he was younger. Not that he'd ever wanted to be in one in the first place, but that didn't stop him from remembering years ago, staring from the sidelines, wondering if anyone would call out to him. Then again, he'd been a prodigy, a child placed in a class of those years older than him; those who had all been scornful at the ease he handled all his assignments and had treated him with jealous hatred.

Thinking back, it was irrational of him to want something like that – but he was a kid, and all kids, no matter how much they denied it, only wanted to fit in.

Kakashi had never exactly been there to see it, but he knew Naruto had also been in similar situation, omitted from these childish clubs just for being himself. It wasn't until his third year retaking the Academy that Naruto seemed to find people who accepted him, never mind the fact that the whole group had been made up of the class's misfits (or as troublesome as a Shikamaru, Chouji, Kiba, and Naruto were, it was only the last two who tended to act out).

At present, it was clear the Academy students were still at the age where friendship was restraint by gender. Obito's friends consisted of a small portion of the boys in their class.

"Kakashi! This is Asuma, and Genma, and Tokara!" Obito introduced when he plopped the silver-haired boy down in front of the three.

Kakashi nodded at the first two, pulling a strained smile on his face, before turning to the third. He vaguely remembered the third as some kid on Hayate's genin team years ago, but they've never actually spoke to each other before. Kakashi reckoned it was best to stare at him than the other two familiar faces.

From the year Kakashi had last seen Asuma and Genma from that little play-date Minato had set up, the two were slowly growing into the appearance of what they once were. Asuma was still a little too young for any facial hair, but his eyes, like it always had been in the future, seemed falling into the habit of seeking out Kurenai when no one thought he was looking.

Genma had taken to lollipops, a habit he would soon replace with  _senbon_  after graduation, after his Jounin teacher introduced his genin to the unique weapons ninjas had at their disposal.

"Kakashi," Asuma greeted, "How come I never see you around?"

Obito frowned when Genma followed Asuma's greeting with words along the same vein. "Wait, you guys know each other?"

"I don't," Tokara interjected, off to the side, but he was quickly ignored in favour of the loud shout echoing from behind them. It reverberated through the school yard in a quality that just couldn't be ignored.

" _Kakashi!_ "

Kakashi turned, spying Gai exuberantly making his way over – in that manner only Gai could do. It seemed within the span of barely a year, the grumpy little Gai had suddenly turned into the man Kakashi forever remembered him to be – cheery and optimistic to a fault. If it was any consolation, at least the kid hadn't started his habit of spouting flowery language yet.

The closer he was, the more Gai seemed uncertain of himself. He shuffled his feet on the ground, staying a strangely unfailing distance from the group. Nevertheless, he was beaming at Kakashi. "Kakashi! I was overjoyed when I heard you joined the Academy, my friend!"

Apparently, Gai had taken a liking to Kakashi during their play-date together with the other children. He'd taken to calling Kakashi 'friend', which Kakashi had an odd suspicion was Dai's fault, and whatever method that father used to cheer up Gai until he was this overly enthusiastic beast that left his old sullen personally a mere cracked shell swept under the carpet, never to be seen ever again.

"Gai."

Gai looked rather wary at Kakashi's (Obito's) friends, as though he was ashamed to get in the way, yet he was too eager to talk to the silver-haired boy. It was a conundrum which caused the oddest of expressions on Gai's face as the boy was stretched all different directions.

Gai was in a different class than them, being a year older, and Kakashi never saw him around much. Kakashi abruptly wondered if the boy had any friends. Gai was an oddity, his personality causing others to give him a wide berth. Kakashi remember how in the past, despite the stubborn boy that he was, Gai had persistently found him to challenge, day in and day out. Gai being Gai, Kakashi knew how much that boy trained, so factoring in Gai's training time between the periods he used to bug Kakashi … was there any time left for Gai to spend with anyone else?  _Did_  Gai have any other friends?

Kakashi glanced over at the older boy. "Do you want to join us?" he asked after a moment of deliberation. Gai's eyes lit up at the invitation, and Kakashi supposed that was proof enough.

Obito frowned. "Who're you?" he asked in a surprisingly sulky tone.

They were all blinded for a moment at Gai's toothy grin, sparkling under the sunlight. "Maito Gai!" he declared.

"How do you know Kakashi?" Obito interrogated before he whipped his head away from the blinding green beast and scowled at his own friends. "In fact, how does everyone know Kakashi before me?" the boy demanded, shaking Asuma's arm.

"I'm popular," Kakashi said dryly.

"I can only strive to be as popular as you, my friend!" Gai declared into his ear.

Kakashi winced, suddenly regretting his decision to voluntarily talk to Gai. Beside him, Asuma was explaining things to the brooding Uchiha. "My parents sent me on a play-date when I was younger. Kakashi, Genma, and Gai were there."

Obito's eyes widened. "Where was I?" he asked, sounding so utterly scandalised at the idea of missing out.

"Uhh, not there?" Asuma answered.

Kakashi glanced over at them from the comer of his eyes, even while he seemingly gave Gai his entire attention. Honestly couldn't see what the problem was; was it really so bad they hadn't met sooner?

As if on cue, Obito's voice carried over once more as he whispered frantically to Asuma. "What if Kakashi decides to call Gai his best friend because he knew him longer? _I'm_  Kakashi's best friend!"

"Can't you both be?"

"No! Only one person can have the spot for Kakashi's best friend, and I like him best!" Obito declared. Kakashi tried hard not to let a smile creep up from under his mask, but he had a feeling he didn't quite manage that.

 

* * *

 

_Chapter 53: Suspicions_

 

“Nothing, Hokage-sama.”

 _Nothing, all was well, no unusual activity –_ these were the common phrases reported back to Hiruzen by the Anbu sent to observe Danzou. Yet, though this was indication that his old friend was not involved in any suspicious activity, the sinking feeling in Hiruzen’s chest irrationally persisted. His instinct was warring against all physical evidence, and Hiruzen didn’t know which to believe.

Perhaps he was being foolish.

Or perhaps there was something more under the surface.

Just after Minato's report on the suspected Root operative who had tried to kidnap his ward, as an aside, Minato had also relayed to Hiruzen Danzou’s unusual interest in Kakashi. Root was a top-secret division of Anbu, with a confidential level above that of the normal Anbu designation. The man in charge of Root was on a need-to-know level even higher than that. So, the fact that Minato had been able to uttered Danzou’s name along with the word Root without knowing the connection between the two, immediately set alarm bells in Hiruzen’s head.

On a hopeful, and perhaps too optimistic whim, Hiruzen had checked the old Root brackets and came up empty handed. Everything was as it was years ago; there was a coat of dust layering the floor and the sparse furniture that hadn’t been relocated. It was musty, damp, and clearly unused for a long, long time.

Of course, it was foolish to believe Danzou would use such a well-known dwelling to restart his Root (if it indeed had been restarted), but the Hokage hadn’t known where else to begin looking.

There was a polite knock on his door.

“Hokage-sama, Danzou-sama is here to see you,” the secretary said from the other side.

“Let him in.”

The bandaged man strolled through Hiruzen’s door with confident strides, walking in grandly like the distinguished shinobi he was. His eye swept once through the room before ending on Hiruzen, prim and tight, despite the amiable smile stretched on his face. Danzou looked all for the world a man with no concerns. Somehow that only put dread for the restrained verbal sparring Hiruzen knew was to come.

“I like to believe there is trust between friends,” Danzou began without any preamble, starting things off immediately after a courtesy greeting.

There was a subtle rebuke of Hiruzen recent actions hidden amongst those vague words of his. “Indeed, my friend,” Hiruzen answered, already with an idea of the topic to be touched upon in this impromptu meeting of theirs.

The smile on Danzou’s face didn’t quiver, but his next words were tailored sharper than his last. “There has been some unsavory shadows lurking nearby lately,” the man hinted.

“Oh?” Hizuen continued, sounding a careful mixture of surprise and interest.

Sadly, Danzou had more than enough experience, in both the shinobi arts and Hiruzen himself, to see the act for what it was. The elder didn’t lose his composure or the pained smile on his face. “Would you know anything about it?” he asked, much too direct for his words to be out of anything but knowledge rather than of mere guesswork.

Hiruzen held onto his position for as long as he could, knowing it wouldn’t last. “I can’t say I do.”

“Hypothetically, if you did, what would you say they were searching for?”

“I really can’t say I know.”

That seemed to be the last straw. It was obvious Hiruzen knew about them; it was even more so that Daznou knew he knew. “Spare me the lies,” the man said, as his hands swiftly reached into his sleeves and procured snapshots of figures in a familiar ceramic mask lurking in the shadows that Hiruzen recognised as his own men. The thing about his Anbu was that while they were proficient at their jobs, they could still be caught by someone whose skills were superior to their own. “I can only be patient for so long. Tell me, Hiruzen, we are friends, are we not?”

He let out a sigh. “All I can say is that certain allegations have been presented before me. I was merely following up on them,” Hiruzen allowed empathically, in a show of good will. Lying that he had no part in it would only draw more distrust, especially when Danzou was already so rightly certain.

 “It is your job to keep the village safe, of course. You were only doing your job. Might I enquire what you have found?” Danzou asked. There was smugness in that voice so smooth and velvet.

Hiruzen gave a cool stare. “Such information, as you are aware, is privy to no one but myself,” he said, warning in his tone.

“Of course, of course,” Danzou agreed readily. Still, the unwavering amusement, so barely concealed in his voice was provoking. Hiruzen had a feeling it was so obviously detectable for this reason exactly, and he couldn’t call him out on it with nothing to back up such accusations. “Were I truly guilty of any horrendous crimes you seem to have been informed of, I would no doubted been arrested by now already, hmm?”

Hiruzen held his tongue.

“No?” Danzou urged.

Hiruzen offered his old time friend a non-answer of “If that is what you believe,” before rummaging through his drawers for a match to light his pipe. He took a long puff, letting the silence between them stretch on. His movements were deliberately slow and relaxed as he kept an eye on Danzou, trying to re-set the pace of their conversation.

Danzou seemed much too aware of the game Hiruzen was attempting to play, undaunted by it all. They’d been friends, and taught by teachers of the same era and village – of course whatever tactics Hiruzen knew, Danzou did as well.

At last Hiruzen spoke once more. “Against the final decision given by the council and myself, I have heard you have been seeking out Kakashi for relocation.”

Danzou’s excuse coloured him in a benevolent shade. “I am merely giving the boy options,” he said, sounding so very generous.

“I have been told Kakashi is content where he is,” Hiruzen countered.

Danzou only shook his head sadly. “Indeed? Young Minato seemed to have harbored some doubts.” He offered the information, sounding too much like he was snubbing Hiruzen by pointing out his lack of knowledge of the issue. Perhaps, Hiruzen decided, it had been much much too long since he’d had a long, proper conversation with his old friend for him to not notice this before. There was a continuous smugness in Danzou’s tone which Hiruzen was certain the man didn’t realise he was voicing out. Danzou was a man too used to getting away with things under Hiruzen’s nose. “However, that issue has been cleared up now. They are now closer than ever.”

“Are you suggesting you were playing villain for their benefit?” Hiruzen asked sharply.

“Oh no, not at first. But when I realised how strained their bond was, and what else could I do but help?”

What else indeed? “And where would you have taken Kakashi? I wasn’t aware you were collecting orphans.”

“What an insinuating way of wording things.”

“I do apologise,” Hiruzen said flatly.

Danzou’s eye flashed, but a smile stayed firmly fixed on his pleasant face, even as he gave out a carefree laugh. “You are aware I help donate funds to various orphanages around the village. Those were my children that I told Minato about.” As far as excuses went, Hiruzen supposed that was rather well put together. As for how much Hiruzen held faith to Danzou’s word … it seemed like he was slowly distrusting his old friend more and more these days.

“You believed leaving Kakashi in an orphanage a better alternative than with Minato?”

“Oh no, I was willing to find someone to adopt the poor boy. But, I was prepared to introduce him to the children I knew in the orphanage as well. A healthy young boy needs friends.”

And if nothing else convinced Hiruzen that Danzou was scheming, those lines did it. Dazou was prepared to do so much for one little boy?

Hiruzen vividly recalled the other man’s words when they first gathered to discuss Kakashi’s fate. Hiruzen knew Danzou didn’t trust Kakashi. Hiruzen knew his old friend well – the man was tenacious and inflexible – for him to sudden change his tone so quickly and drastically meant there was some hidden agenda.

Kakashi seemed to be flourishing under Minato’s care – perhaps Danzou finally saw how much of a prodigy Kakashi truly was, realised how malleable that child could be if he played his cards right. If there was anything Hiruzen knew about Danzou, it was that the man loved power and control. The latter could’ve easily been argued as trust (because within a trusting team, solid control of the situation was never far behind), but of what Hiruzen remember retrospectively, as he thought back to their young and active years, Danzou always preferred to be the leader in teams – to be the one obeyed.

Dazou seemed to be able to read concern of Hiruzen’s face. The Hokage wasn’t sure how much – likely not a lot; he, like all shinobi trained to keep emotions off –, but he saw enough to realise Hiruzen had cast his mind back to that meeting with Kakashi back when Sakumo just died. “I don’t know if you heard of my apology to young Kakashi. I deeply regret my prior thoughtless words directed at his father. Offering my assistance to him was my way of taking responsibility, of course.”

“Of course,” Hiruzen echoed in agreement. He leaned forwards on his desk, elbows on the table top and fingers laced together as he stared at his old friend. “And seeing Minato and young Kakashi’s interaction, you have no further desire to continue your interference?” he asked, with an undertone of something severe.

Danzou’s only reaction was a casual shrug. “I assure you, Hiruzen, I would never deliberately tear apart such a wonderful bond.”

“Is that so?”

There was a glimmer of something darker in the depth of his eyes, but it was gone when Danzou blinked once more. “However, I won’t refuse if Kakashi comes to me on his own accord.”

It sounded like Danzou was preparing his excuses already, and Hiruzen didn’t like it one bit. “I don’t foresee him doing so anytime soon. His bond with Minato is growing stronger by the day,” he tacked casually, just to convey how unbelievable he thought that possibility to be. So if it _were_ to happen, Danzou could be certain Hiruzen was prepared to investigate the matter.

“You never know,” Danzou said, sounding so ominous and impervious. “Things change so quickly these days. The boy is growing up and seeing things the world can offer him.”

Even after Danzou left, Hiruzen was left feeling oddly tainted and dirty – like a hidden evil had seeped into the every cracks of his precious village, unable to be scrubbed out. Hiruzen always expected that feeling from enemies, or fellow Kages as they subtly tried to intimidate each other. He never expected it from a long-time friend.

The old man let out a sigh. He would have to schedule a meeting with Minato and Kakashi soon.

 

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [How To Raise Your Ninja Child](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1903911) by [Crystia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crystia/pseuds/Crystia)
  * [Bear](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2251944) by [CeleryWilliams](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CeleryWilliams/pseuds/CeleryWilliams)




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